Even Angels Fall
by AngelDeLumiere
Summary: Even angels fall…God knows that that is the truth. I'm sorry, Rukia. We should have told your brother and sister's story a long time ago. We were too scared too. They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We seem to prove that every day.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hey guys. I know, I know. Here I am, staring a new story, and I haven't even finished my other one. Don't worry. I promise to work on them both diligently. This isn't a continuation of Kiss the Sky, but more like a prequel. Actually, it is a prequel in every sense of the word. I think that the other story is a little confusing to some people, so I'm writing this in hopes of clearing things up. It's a good thing, too, because I have had this idea stuck in my head forever. Ideas in my head don't go away. They just tend to float around up there and make a mess. So…any who, here we go.**

**And--I'm sure this will shock you--I don't own Bleach. Damn. That makes me sad. But it probably makes the rest of you very happy. **

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Prologue--

No one saw it coming. It was suddenly upon us in full force, engulfing all of our lives in a sea of frivolity, gaiety, and disporting grandiloquence. We were swept away in the affair of the season. For the next few months, it consumed our drab lives. The glitz and glamour of it all. Suddenly, it was one party after another; this shower and that shower. Something was always being celebrated. It is astounding that one marriage could cause so much celebration.

They were very couth about it; they did not thrust it in our faces. They did not make their happiness our misery. It was his family that made it so glamorous, such an event. It should not have shocked us; they were always a flamboyant group. It was always about them; run for cover if the spotlight ever shown on someone else.

It truly did shock us all. As far as we knew, they had never crossed paths before. He was everything any woman would love. Tall, gorgeous, dark and money out the ears. He was absolutely perfect. But, he was reserved; as far as we knew, he only had one close friend. He had a few acquaintances, perhaps, but one true friend. He was quiet, dedicated, and faithful to his job. He served his grandfather with disciplined obedience. He was haute couture, money, power, influence, nobility.

He was everything she was not.

She was quietly opinionated, diligent, and beautiful. He followed the rules; she bent hem. She made messes and he cleaned them up. She was friendly, he was reserved. They were opposites. She was intelligent, brainy, and obstinate. She was skittish, and she learned to live life without regrets. I sometimes wondered if he knew how to live at all. I think that they were good for each other, and they would have found each other. I'm not sure how long that would take, though. They both were rather dense back then.

"Excuse me?" I blinked. "What did you just say?"

I was sitting across from Hisana at a small cafe. My dear friend has requested to meet me earlier that morning. She said it was urgent. I do not know why she was surprised when I showed up fifteen minutes early, forehead wrinkled, and furiously pacing. I had attacked her, shaking her arm, demanding to know what was wrong. She gave me a weird look, and then let out a peal of laughter. Your sister had the most beautiful voice that I have ever heard, Rukia. It was darkly melodious. Every word, ever laugh hung in their air, haunting your memory. Everything about your sister was haunting, my dear girl. And please forgive the first of many, many tangents. Hisana demanded that we sit down, and order before she told me.

The news was not at all what I expected. You see, Rukia, your sister, as dear as she was to my heart, had a knack for misfortune. Just the week before, she had blown up the Thirteenth Division when she gave Captain Ukitake a package for Captain Urahara. She had not realized it was a prank when she handed it to the captain himself, and was caught in the cross fire. As she gave me her joyous news, her skin was a light purple from the color bomb.

"You heard me," she said in her deep voice.

"You're engaged!" I shrieked loudly. Heads turned, but I didn't care. We were in the middle of the Third Division courtyards, eating. She still worked for Captain Isshin Kurosaki as his lieutenant. She did not transfer to Kisuke Urahara's division for another few weeks. I truly believe that her engagement prompted Kurosaki's withdrawal from the Soul Society.

"Yupyup," she sipped her fruity drink. "To Byakuya Kuchiki." She held out her hand. I grabbed it, and pulled it forward. On her third finger rested a large diamond ring. It was square cut, set in a white old bad, and encased by two, slightly smaller diamonds. It was magnificent, Rukia, and I knew it was a fortune. You see, Rukia, engagement rings were all the rage during that time. They had recently been introduced to the Seireitei from the world of the living. It was the must have of the season for anyone, married or engaged. Your brother always followed fashion to the letter.

"Oh…my…gawd…" I fumbled out. I could not help myself. It was a hunk of rock sitting on her finger, glittering in the sunlight in a tantalizing way. I could not help but be enraptured by the sight of it. It was truly awe-inspiring. "How?…When…? Why?" I shrieked.

Hisana quirked her eyebrows. "What kind of question is that?" she asked me.

"Hisana, I am one of your best friends, and I had no idea that you were dating Lieutenant Kuchiki. I didn't even know that you knew him. To the rest of the world, this will be out of the blue. Just like it is to me, and, again here, I am your best friend."

"What do you mean, I didn't know him? Sweet pea, we work together. My captain and his captain correspond daily. We've met." She let out a quiet giggle. Taking her cup in her both of her heads, she lifted it up. She did not drink from it, however, but chose to stare off into space. A soft, dreamy expression drifted on to her face, and I felt nauseous. Even I had my limits. She was so obviously in love with your brother than it permeated all of her thoughts and features.

"You're such a sap," I laughed. I picked up my chopsticks and threw them at her. She flinched when they hit her. She let out a peal of irked laughter.

"Hey!" she squealed as she stabbed her edimame. "That was unnecessary,"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "You seemed to be lost in translation for a moment."

"I was not!" she cried indignantly. She pouted her round, mauve lips, and scowled at me with her dull, doe-like eyes. I feel that I should tell you that your sister was not an outstanding beauty. Her face was round at the top, and pointy at the bottom. Her eyes were large, and too far apart to be considered classic. Her nose was too little for the rest of her face, and her lips were large, but very round, and almost squished together. "I was just reminiscing."

I snorted. "I'm sure that's what it was. So," I leaned forward slightly. I smiled as I demanded, "Spill,"

Your sister blinked. "No, thank you," she said. Her grip on her cup tightened. "I would rather finish drinking it,"

"I meant, tell me how it happened."

"Oh," she let out the most beautiful smile that I had ever seen. I always wanted to know how your sister managed to get her teeth so white. "He was walking me home last night after the lieutenants meeting last night. He said that he didn't want anything to happen to me." She flushed at the memory. It was adorable how smitten she seemed to be with him. I could not believe that I had missed it somehow. I am normally a fairly intuitive person, and for me to miss such a drastic change in my dear friend was absurd.

She shook her head, clearing it of the foggy memory. "We got to my door, and he gave me a light kiss." Here she bit her lip, as if she were tasting the memory. "Then he told me that I had brought such a change to his life, that he loved me, and that he wanted me to be by his side forever. He slipped the ring on my finger and while I was busy staring at it confoundedly, he asked me to marry him."

"Bit presumptuous of him to put it on you before he asked, wouldn't you agree?" I mused. Your sister was an opinionated thing. It was never good to make assumptions around your sister; she would change her entire philosophy on life just to prove you wrong. It was both endearing and aggravating.

"Really?" she chimed, "I thought it was rather sweet. I guess it was like his way of saying that he knows me really well." She gave me her most beautiful smile. Again, I say, your sister had the most beautiful smile. She positively glowed, Rukia. I had never seen her so happy, and her happiness warmed my heart. I let her joy wash away all of my fears and doubts. I trusted her; I trusted him. I thought it was a Cinderella story.

I am so sorry, Rukia. Maybe…just maybe…if I had listened to the little nagging voice in my ear, none of it would have happened. Who knows? Your sister still might be alive because of me.

All I know is that when it came, no one expected a thing. The engagement of Byakuya Kuchiki and Hisana Reiko shocked the entire world for months to come.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed it. I had fun writing it, which is good. So I hope you guys review it. I love hearing what you all think. Anything: raves or flames. It all helps me grow as a writer. Don't worry. It is all told from Nanao's POV, but she isn't a major character in the story. Shocking, I know. But it will work. I promise. **


	2. Meet Virginia

Chapter One--Meet Virginia

I suppose, Rukia, I should tell you about how it happened. When your sister told me, I could hardly believe my ears. It was more bizarre than their engagement. But I suppose I am being too forward. You will have to forgive me, my dear. I cannot help it. I shall try to keep to the story as much as possible. Your brother and sister's affair began much earlier than their engagement.

She was a lowlife Rukon then, just trash beneath his shoes. That was when she had you. Hisana was brave, but foolish. The city was full of people, hustling and bustling. They did not care for anyone else in that high level hellhole, just themselves and perhaps those chosen few who they labeled family. Family. She snorted. What an odd term. For those in the Rukongai, family was a label, not a relationship. Only a select few remembered their human lives, and even a smaller group reunited with human family. No. For those in the Rukon districts, family was a close group formed out of survival necessity rather than kinship.

This was not at all how she imagined her life would turn out. She never clung to allusions of grandeur and opulence as a child, but she had dreamed of something…more. Not this everyday waking up and working for men with leering eyes and lecherous hands. She had not wanted much as a girl, but she had wanted more.

A bath house. She worked at a bathhouse. A bathhouse where she was forced to bathe old, cantankerous men, fat and leering men, grabby men…and their wives. It was not the life she had ever wanted. The voice in her mind told her it was better than fending for herself on the streets…that's what she had been failing for the first seven years of her life in the spirit world. Who knew the afterlife would be so hard? Hisana knew that her role in life was due to her horrible actions not even a year before. It was only fair. She had abandoned her infant sister in order to save herself.

She lugged a large sack filled with the day's groceries. They fed all of the staff, and most of the customers as well. The Madame of the house had created a separate building just for the kitchens. Only the most exquisite food was served to the honored guests. Slightly poorer guests received slightly worse food. And so it continued down to the staff. While what they received to eat was not table scraps, it was no gourmet meal, either. Not that she expected one. That was one of the reasons Hisana loved being sent to the city to fetch food. She got to taste all of the tasty treats that the vendors made. Most of them knew her, and didn't mind giving her a freebee every once in a while. Sometimes, it was beneficial to be sweet and poor. She never wanted to leave the city, with its sensational smells and breath-taking sights. But she did.

Now was one of those times. Hisana stood before the bathhouse laden with groceries. She needed to get back up to her duties. Every day from sunrise to eleven, they scrubbed the large tubs, and the floors, prepared rooms for those who wished to be pampered for more than one day and could afford it, kept the house in immaculate condition…the list was endless. After a quick respite and a light lunch for those souls who could eat, they slaved away, tending to client after client until well after midnight. Sundays, their day off, were blessed and much needed days.

With a firm look etched on her face, she pulled herself away from the beckoning foray and into the bathhouse. The world came to life. Cooks bustled in the oversized kitchen, preparing enticing meals for the wealthy guests. Faceless forms in uniforms flew about, whether by a cook's bidding or some previously ordered chose. She heard the quick footsteps of the custodians who vigorously cleaned the floors. The hums of the washer could be heard over the dull roar of the pots and pans, as linens and towels were freshly pressed in anticipation of another night. Hisana breathed in deeply, wallowing in the smell of cinnamon and detergent. This was her home; her whole world.

"There you are, you worthless girl!" Maki cried, "I've been awaitin' those groceries a half hour too long!"

"That's when you sent me out for them," she reminded the head chef cheekily.

Maki grabbed the bag from her arms. "Be gone with yeh before I box yer ears for impudence,"

Hisana didn't need to be told by the toad faced man twice. With a perky bob of her head, she scampered up to her room. Workers at the bathhouse lived on the top two floors. The only person who lived above them was the Madame. Below the workers were three floors reserved for overnight guests, and beneath that were the baths. Sixty baths covered two floors. Hisana's room was just beneath the Madame's personal bath. Thankfully, the loud woman preferred her baths in the early afternoon, when Hisana's and her roommate Kaeko were far below.

Not stopping to look around, Hisana pulled off her nice clothes. She replaced them with the light, flowing pants that all the staff wore. That way, they did not get so hot in the steamy rooms. As she trotted down to the fist level where Kaeko was waiting for her, she tugged her dark hair into twin braids.

"Sorry it took so long," she said as she slid down into the deep tub. "Town was hectic,"

"Isn't it always?" Kaeko grinned as she tossed Hisana a brush.

Hisana thrust it into the bucket of warm, sudsy water. "Yeah. A great pain,"

Kaeko laughed. It was a beautiful laugh. "Tell me all about it,"

Hisana shrugged as she scrubbed the bottom of the tub with all of her might. "Oh, you know. The usual. Grabby men. Over priced food. Longs walks where every one steps on you and your delicate little toes. The usual,"

Kaeko laughed. "I think that it is only usual for you to be stepped on. The rest of us are normal height, not the size of a twelve year old."  

"Hey!" Hisana slapped the water at her friend. "I can't help it. Besides, us short people are adorable. And, we're the last to get rained on." She stuck her tongue out a Kaeko. There. Take that, sweet cheeks.

"Yeah," Kaeko muttered, "You're also the first to drown."

"Not fair!" Hisana cried indignantly.

"Life isn't," Kaeko laughed.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

_Dust clouds swirled around her, rising up over her head. Hisana coughed as the dirt filled her lungs. Rukia was jostled up and down. The tiny child was clutched desperately to her chest. Hisana was not completely sure if Rukia was even her sister, or a random baby she found. She thought that the girl was her true family, but one could never be sure. Hisana ran as fast as she could, through the bustling throng. No one cared that they were running for their lives, as long as they weren't in harms way. _

_"Come on, pretty girl!" one of the men chasing her called. _

_"Here pretty girl! Come here, pretty girl!" his buddy called._

_Hisana held Rukia, and ran as fast as she could. She was scared, but not as scared as she was when she first found herself in the seventieth district. Men chased her all the time; it was a weekly occurrence now. Adrenaline still pumped through her veins, but it was not as terrifying as the first time it happened five years ago. Just keep running. If she kept running, she would get away. They were not very persistent attackers. _

_"Here pretty girl, pretty girl, pretty girl…" The men called out to her as if she were a dog. It was denigrating, and it got old quickly. Still, she ran, hurtling over bodies and pots. The filthy ground was littered with blankets, trash heaps, and the occasional slumbering soul. It was a disgusting place to live, Inuzuri, but it was where Fate had placed her. She must have been a horrible person in her life to deserve a place such as the Seventieth District. _

_"Hold on, baby girl," she whispered to Rukia. The child had gotten used to the bouncing. During their first months in the Rukongai, Hisana had had to run a lot. She was new, and therefore, she was easy prey. It had taken months for her to even learn how to personify someone who wasn't a target. Now, she only had to run from the drunk idiots. _

_Rukia stayed quiet as Hisana ran. She ran far and fast. She heard the men behind her fall away, tired of their chase. But Hisana was no fool. It was a trap. The lecherous men would fall back, feigning exhaustion in order to trick her into stopping. Then, they would attack. She kept running, father and father away, through four districts she ran. She would loose them. She refused to be a victim. Exhaustion swept over her. Her legs gave out as she collapsed in the mud. Rain poured down from the dark, cloudy sky. Hisana pulled Rukia close to her, trying to warm the child. The mud was excruciatingly cold, but she did not have the strength to move. Lightning flashed in the sky above. That was the last thing that Hisana remembered before darkness overtook her._

_She woke up to an evil chuckle. Cracking one eye open, she groaned when something poked her side. There were several snickers. Her body involuntarily tensed when she realized what was about to happen._

_"So, yer finally awake are, yah?" a deep, scratchy voice muttered into her ear._

_The hair on the back of her neck stood up. She suppressed a shiver than ran down her spine. Anything to get them to leave her alone. They had found her. She hadn't lost them. These men where much different from her previous attackers. _

_"We ain't fooled by yer lil' act, right there," the same man said standing up. "We've been watching you fer a while, now." _

_Oh God, no. They had herded her, and she played right into their hands. They must have been from the Fortieth District, or somewhere around there. They flushed her out of familiar territory to somewhere better suited for them. Hisana peaked her eye open. She saw four shadows looming all around her. She wanted to swear and swear loudly. How the hell did she end up in situations like this? Fear coursed through her body. She had never been caught in such a compromising situation before. It scared her._

_"Come on," someone grunted._

_Two hands grabbed her arms, hoisting her up off the ground. She blinked her eyes open. There was no use in feigning sleep now. Keeping her eyes closed would be a detriment to her escape. There were four men, varying in height, age and physical appearance. They were all dirty, just like her, and they all were common thugs. She knew exactly what was going to happen if she did not get away, and get away fast. They were dragging her to the wooded area of the park where they could do their unspeakable act in peace. They did not expect much of a fight from her. They all seemed to be muscled and tower over her. However, Hisana was naturally strong and she was quick. All she needed to do was wait for the opportune moment._

_The men dropped her to the ground when they were twenty meters in the dark grove. One started for the ties of his hakama and that was when she made her move. She swiped his legs out from under him. The others watched in horror as he fell to the ground with a startled cry. They returned their attention to her just a second later, but by that time, it was too late. She was far gone. She ran as fast as she could, dodging trees, but trying to stay in a straight line. You went faster if you went straight, she remembered from her human life. She did not remember anything else but that._

_Braking through the line of trees, Hisana ran into town. Her pace quickened even more as she dodged people now. This was the thirty-ninth district, and the difference was astronomical. Even though these people were poor, it was nothing compared to the destitution that the upper districts faced. She heard the men ranting behind her. They had the balls to follow her into the slightly better off district. That should not have surprised her, but it did. She foolishly screamed and darted into an alleyway, hoping to escape her pursuers. She had no such luck when the alley dead ended and she turned to face three furious men._

_Achingly slow, they began to advance on her, savoring her wide eyes and terrified expression. They were monsters. One man grabbed her robe and tore it. She shrieked and clawed at his face. Her nails raked down his face, scratching him deeply. Blood flowed from the five marks. He grinned sadistically at her. _

_"Kitty's got claws." He licked his lips. "I love a puss with some fight in her," _

_"Shut up and grab 'er, Nomui," the one on the left said. "We ain't got time to play," _

_"Here, kitty kitty," the one--Nomui--called out to Hisana. She was walking backwards, clutching what remained of her robe, desperately trying to cover herself. She shook her head no. _

_"Over my dead body," she hissed as she cowered into a corner. And she meant it. She would rather die than be subjected and humiliated by rape. _

_The leader glared hard at her. "That can be arranged," he threatened. _

_Hisana reached behind her. She fumbled for anything that might count as a weapon. Her fingers danced over trash and refuse; there was nothing: no sharp object, nothing blunt or hard, just crumpled paper and heavy bags. Her luck was not improving at all. Fuck. Hisana drew back her arm, ready to punch. It would not be a very good one since she was trying to keep her robe up, but she would take what she could fight. If she was going down, it would be kicking and screaming. She was kicking someone in the nuts and rendering them impotent for life. _

_Nomui jumped her. She screamed as she flew back in the air. She faced a devilishly handsome man. His pugnacious eyes glared down on her, glimmering with triumph. Resolutely, she yanked up as hard as she could, slicing his face with her jagged nails. The man in front of her howled in pain. _

_"You bitch," he yelled, slapping her face. Hisana's head swerved and hit the wall behind her. Her head felt like it had exploded. She saw stars. It hurt to think. Slowly, Nomui walked toward her. In one last attempt, she shoved against him with all of her might. He stumbled back- but only about a step. Hisana slumped against the wall, unaware of her attacker's close, haunting presence._

_"What's the matter, sweetie?" he asked in a low, ragged voice. He slowly walked toward her, obviously enjoying himself immensely. "No where to run? Nothing else to fight with?" He laughed mercilessly as he stopped in front of her. He stood there for a moment, doing nothing. And then, he suddenly grabbed her by the arms, pinning her effectively. She tried to scream, but he forced his mouth onto hers, his tongue pushing her lips open._

_She tried to fight against him, but there felt out numbered when a pair of arms encircled her upper body. His friends were joining in on the fun. She bit down hard on the tongue that had invaded her mouth and jerked her mouth away, spitting his blood out. He growled at the injury and slapped her hard across the face. "You little bitch," he said. _

_Before she knew what was happening, the man yelled. Hisana blinked, staring at where the man had once been. She squeaked when the brigand behind her was suddenly gone as well. They were at the end of the alleyway, lying as a mass of tangled limbs. What the…She did not have time to analyze. All Hisana knew was that someone had given her mercy and come to her defense. It was such a rarity that she was taken aback. She could only watch as a dark haired man flung her third assailant onto the pile. She blinked. It was not out of fear, but surprise. _

_He was a ginormous man. His dark hair hung down low, fanning out over his broad shoulders. He must have been at least twice her width and was so tall that she had to cran her neck up al the way in order to look at his face. A ferocious smile flitted across his face; he meant it to be friendly, but it served to terrify her more. It looked like he was going to eat her. Her dull blue gaze flitted to them on the ground. Her mouth dropped in horror. She hadn't noticed it at first, but they were all covered in blood. Their own blood. The large gashes were visible all over their bodies. He had killed them. _

_She squealed in fear. _

_"Don't worry, girl," he said in a gruff voice. It was hard from battle, and from the tough life. "I ain't gonna hurt cha," _

_He turned on his heel to walk away. She saw the scars that littered his body. He too knew what it was like to fight to survive in the harsh world. Fate had abandoned him as well. _

_"Thank you," she called. That seemed to surprise him, but Hisana did not know why. It was all she could do to not offer herself to him. She knew that that was probably the only way she could properly thank him, but she was too vain to voice the thought. She had to thank him, however. He had saved her life, something few were prone to do, and she was eternally indebted to him. _

_"Eh," he shrugged his large shoulders. "Don't be. I was just lookin' for a good fight is all." He kicked one man's corpse. It was Nomui. "Not that I got one," _

_"What is your name?" she asked him as he reached the edge of the alley. _

_"Kenpachi Zaraki," he said._

_He did not look back. _

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Hisana joined Kaeko's merriment, but her own mood soured. Kaeko was right. Life wasn't fair. Every day that Hisana was alive was proof of that. Hisana was alive while her sister was out there, most likely dead, because Hisana abandoned her.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

_Hisana had sat in that alley for an interminable amount of time. She was stunned from everything that had happened. Her body shook from the left over fear and adrenaline. Three dead bodies stared at her from their misery, accusing her with their dilated eyes. They blamed her for their deaths. If she had just lay there like a good little girl and taken it, they would still be alive. They did not want to kill her, and they would not have. But she indirectly killed them. They would have let both her and Rukia live--__**RUKIA**__._

_Hisana shrieked as she leapt to her feet. Her infant sister! She had left her there to rot! Running as if death himself snapped at her heels, she vaulted over the corpses, the trash, and the urchins. She did not have far to go. Hisana burst into the clearing. Her baby sister was lying in the mud. The babe squirmed as she wailed. Hisana picked her up with shaky hands. Rukia was ice cold to the touch. _

_The girl started to cry as she held the baby to her chest. Opaque tears fell from her eyes as sobs wracked her body. She failed her sister for the last time. _

_"I'm sorry, Rukia," she whispered as she lay the swaddling babe on a doorstep. "I can't take care of you any more. I just can't. I can't protect you. I can't protect me. I'm sorry,"_

_With that last sob, Hisana turned on her heel, and ran as fast as she could away from what she knew would be the biggest mistake of her life. On Rukia's stomach lay twelve golden coins…the money the bathhouse gave her in return for a seven year tenure._

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Go back to scrubbing so we can maybe get done in time for super," Kaeko ordered with a cheshire grin. Hisana obeyed, but not without a glare.

Business was always booming at the bathhouse. Kaeko had heard a rumor that the Madame's was the only one left in the entire world. It certainly seemed that way. Scribe complained all the time about the horrors of book keeping. Hisana was never trained in numbers or advanced words, so she did not know. But at six o'clock sharp, she heard the great brass bell at the front of the house ring. Eiki and Thalia pulled open the wall sized doors to allow the guests to enter into the front hall unhindered.

Hisana leaned over the ornate windowsill to see how busy they would be tonight. One side of the bathhouse faced the Rukongai. It was a constant struggle to keep the dark mahogany building face clean from the filth of civilization. The other side faced empty nothingness. Hisana had not known that the land kept going on. She never dreamt it possible for civilization to end and the world not. She now saw it every day, the vast edge of blank space. It terrified her. The only thing that separated society from the nothingness was a thin river that trickled. It had no name, and no one knew where it began or where it went. It was just there. But every night, spirits came for Hisana to care for. Many came from the city--but even more came from down river. Hisana always wanted to know what lay just beyond the horizon. She knew she would never know.

No matter how many times a guest may visit, they were always amazed by the myriad of colorful lights that were strung over the veranda, the exquisite dress of the other guests, the music played with nimble fingers, the merry atmosphere. It was as if every night was a festival, and the guests lived in a moment of abandonment that was scarce at their homes. It was a marvelous sight. Hisana doubted that she would ever tire of it. Jaunt and Jolly pranced about, playing their flute and violin gaily as carriage after carriage rolled into the gates. Valets helped the silken clad forms out of the ostentatiously adorned black carriages before the drivers took the vehicles around back to be stabled for the night. Servants flew right and left, carrying bags and food. Hisana was pulled away from the frivolity by Kaeko.

"Come on, kid. We've got work to do."

"I know, I know," Hisana waved her away. "Bathe the rich people who are too lazy to do it themselves,"

"It's not that bad, you know," Kaeko said as she lifted the towels out of the bureau. They were large, and fluffy, soft to the touch. Every time she wrapped in one, it felt like Heaven. She did not have the luxury often, however. Work was much too strenuous for that. Hisana plugged the large tub, and pulled the lever. It began to fill with finger burning hot water. It literally melted the stress and bodily damage away. Some people called it miracle water, and every one who worked there knew it was. "Most of the clients are very nice, respectful, and they give great tips. We only have a few who are grabby."

"It's those few who stand out, though," Hisana answered. She tossed a handful of soothing bath salts into the tub. They relaxed the skin and made soothed the muscles. They also helped to scrape of the dead layer of skin, making it smooth and soft: perfect skin for any noble.

Kaeko laughed. "That is true enough,"

Hisana glanced at her friend. As she pursed her lips, she commented. "You are always laughing."

"I believe that life should be happy."

"It's hard to take you seriously if all you do is laugh," she said.

"You have to learn to laugh even when times are tough, Hisana," Kaeko said. She did not laugh, but her eyes were. They laughed loudly at Hisana. "Laughter makes you live longer, and it is good for the soul. In times like these, we need all the joy we can get. You can't stop living just because life isn't good. If you don't face the bad times, then you can't appreciate the good ones."

Hisana scowled darkly. "I wouldn't know the good ones," she muttered.

"You just haven't experienced them yet," Kaeko comforted her. "I promise, your life will get better. Before you know it, you'll wake up with a rich husband and beautiful children who love you. You'll finally have that sister of your back, and your life will be perfect. I promise."

Kaeko's friend snorted. "I'll believe that when I see it."

"You'll see it one day, Hisana. I promise that you will."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

That day did not come for a long time, Rukia. Many, many years. But you already know that. You are more interested in your sister's origins. I do not blame you at all. She and your brother had a long road to travel before they found their happily ever after.

BAM! Suddenly, something that sounded like a crash sounded on the first floor. She sat bolt upright with a start, her heart beating madly. Her hair was swirling around her face in tangled waves. Irritably, she began combing it with trembling fingers. She looked around. It was pitch black, well after midnight. They had had a particularly late night, and all Hisana had wanted to do was sleep. It figured that that would not be happening. Her luck really was horrible.

BAM! There was the noise again, this time much, much closer. "What the hell?" Hisana gasped.

Kaeko scrambled up off the floor. "I have no idea," she said as she ran a hand through her caramel locks. BAM! Eyes wide open, Kaeko jumped up off her pallet. "No!" she cried.

"What?' Hisana scrambled to her feat. "What's wrong?' she cried.

Kaeko grabbed Hisana's arm. With all of her might, she shoved Hisna into the shadowed corner of the wall. It was right behind the small chest that housed their uniforms. Kaeko pushed Hisana far up against it, and got down in the shadows beside her. "Hush!" she demanded. "Be quiet, Hisana. It's just a raid."

"A raid?" Hisana echoed.

"Hai, a raid. They happen every once in a while. It's a bunch of people from the highest districts. They pillage everything that makes money. We have to be careful: they rape, rob, pillage and plunder like the best of them. It only takes a few minutes but when they're gone, it's like an earthquake hit."

Just then, someone shrieked, a terrible wail that rose all the way up to the third floor, making the hair on the back of Hisana's neck stand up. More screams soon followed, accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps on the floor. She closed her eyes and listened carefully. Her eyes flew open as she heard her own door bang open. Kaeko handed her a small dagger. She motioned for Hisana to remain quiet. The small girl nodded her head slowly.

Shaking with nerves, she listened and got her knife into a ready position. She could hear her blankets being flipped over, and then a second person enter the room. "Akenu, what are you doing there?" asked a gruff male voice.

"There's someone in here, methinks," a second male voice answered. "Here, feel this, the sheets is still hot."

There was a sound like dry leaves crackling under someone's foot. She guessed that one, or both, of the men were laughing. "This looks like a girlie's room, that's for sure," one of the men said, she couldn't tell who.

"Yeah," the other man agreed. "Oh, come out, come out, my pretty, we know you're hiding here!" he said a touch louder than his regular speaking voice. "Come out for poor Akenu and Silva, we only want to have a look at you."

One of the men laughed. "Now, be honest, Akenu," the man called Silva cried. "You're being naughty and lying to the poor little girlie. Come out, come out, sweetheart, you can't hide forever!"

Hisana's heart beat faster and faster as she heard the painfully slow footsteps of one of the men. They only thought that there was one of them. Slowly, a gruff appearing man appeared to her right. She turned around to face him. He was a short, stocky man, with a straggly dark brown and dirt smearing his pale face. All of his features were course, as were the rough animal skin clothing that he wore. His eyes were predatory. "There you are, my sweet," he said, walking towards them.

She was not sure which one it was, but it did not matter. He grabbed Kaeko by the wrist. Hisana's friend and mentor, jerking her out of her hiding place. "Here we go, Akenu." He pulled her into the dull moonlight. "Ain't she a beaut?"

He turned to the corner on a whim. His gross face contorted into a misshapen delight. "Well, well, well…Akenu," Silva leered at her. "This is our lucky night. She's got a friend,"

"Really?" Akenu walked over to the corner. "I think you're right, Silva. And she's just as cute,"

Kaeko didn't give him the chance to step towards her friend. She whirled her own dagger around and hit on the opposite side of the head, hoping to knock him out. He groaned and fell to the floor. She didn't know if that had done the trick, but she wasn't about to wait and find out. Following her lead, Hisana thrust her knife into Silva's stomach, thusly freeing Kaeko. He let out a bellow as he clutched his midsection. Hisana screamed as blood flew everywhere. It splattered all over her tan sleepwear and her face as it gushed out of his stomach.

Silva lunged for Hisana. "No!"

Kaeko, the woman who screamed, grabbed his wrist. She jerked it back. The two women winced as they heard it snap. Silva howled in pain. "You bitch!" he screamed.

Akenu slammed Kaeko against the wall. Hisana winced for her friend. Kaeko's coral lips formed a large 'O' as she slumped down, unconscious. Now it was up to her to defend the two of them from the brigands. She was ready to fight them with all of her strength. With a feral war cry, Hisana raised her own suddenly very tiny knife. Akenu--obviously the more proficient fighter--grabbed Hisana by the neck, and began to choke her. The knife clattered on the floor when she clawed at his arm, trying to free herself. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. "I ain't gonna kill you, precious. I need yer help carrin' Silva back ta camp."

He released her and immediately, she heaved for air. "Bastard!" she hissed, clutching her swollen throat.

He gave her a toothy grin. "It's my mum's fault. Now," he ripped Kaeko's outer robe of her. Hisana grabbed for the robe in protest, but Akenu shoved her back. While she stumbled back, he pushed it on his friend's weeping gut. "Help me carry this oaf back'ta camp."

She nodded numbly. Shaky fingers managed to press against the outer robe. Her fingers were quickly covered with her attacker's blood. She felt queazy, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. So, Hisana shut up and did what she was told. Hopefully, they would let her go. She would not be victimized again.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Kaeko!" someone called.

A hand was slapping at her face. Something was shaking her shoulders. "Kaeko!" There was an urgency in his voice. Her face was suddenly pressed in something warm but hard, and a frantic hand was caressing her face. "Kaeko!"

"Ugh…mwuagh?" she groaned out. Kaeko slowly blinked her light brown eyes. Her vision swam, and her body felt like jelly. The entire room seemed to be spinning. The light hurt her eyes. She just wanted to go back to sleep. Whoever was holding her tightly had woken her up from the best sleep of her life.

"Kaeko!" the voice cried in relief. She was pulled even tighter to the hard chest. "My Kaeko!"

"Nuwh?" she groaned again. Pushing away, she slowly sat up. Rubbing her eyes, Kaeko blinked, trying to figure out what was going on. The lamp was lit, and it burned bright in the night. It was night, she realized. They should be sleeping. Dawn would come fast, and she and Hisana needed their rest so that they could work. Work hard, make money, get the hell out of the slums. Work. Kaeko's eyes widened in alarm. Hisana! She jumped to her feet. "The raid!" she cried. "Where's Hisana? Where's my baby?" she cried.

On the floor, kneeled Takari, Kaeko's clandestine lover. Friends that had progressively turned into love, he looked at her with love and fear. "Are you okay?" he stood up. Cupping her lovely face, he studied her carefully, searching for any sign of injury. He immediately saw the bruising on her face and the scratches along her neck. He frowned.

"Yes, yes," she swatted his hands away. "I'm fine. Where is Hisana?" Kaeko demanded. Her eyes flitted around the room, analyzing the damage, searching for her adoptive sister. "Where's my girl?"

Bunko, a small, timid boy looked between the two of them. His twin sister, Haruhi, took his hand. It was amusing how much larger she was than him. She was the protector of the two, the stronger one. "She's gone," Haruhi said plainly. She was never one to sugar up things, or spare someone's feelings. "They took her last night,"

Kaeko's mouth dropped open. Her weak knees shook and gave away. As she collapsed on the floor, she felt her man's strong arms wrap around her. "No," she shook her head. Denial coursed through her veins. Her body shook. It was impossible. They could not have taken Hisana. Not her precious little girl. People taken in raids rarely came back. They suffered horrendous fates, gut wrenching tortures, and unspeakable disasters. Those few who luckily survived were often sold into slavery. That could not happen. Not to her precious Hisana. The little girl had suffered so much already--adding this to her burden was an abhorring crime.

"No!" she screamed. Large tears rolled down her cheeks. "NO!"

"Sshh," Takari patted her head. He held her close and let her cry. She needed to let it out. "Let it out, let it out," he comfortingly whispered.

Kaeko jerked out of her lover's grasp. "We have to go get her," she announced.

"What?" her practical man blinked in surprise. This was not what he expected from his distraught girlfriend.

"Be reasonable, Kaeko," Haruhi said. "You can't storm the castle and rescue the damsel. There are too many of them, and you are too weak."

Beat red, Kaeko turned on her heel. Shoulders indignantly squared, she marched out of the room. "Now, Takari!" she bellowed.

The surprised bath attendant scrambled to his feet and followed his beautiful and feisty lover.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

She had never been in this situation before, and she had no idea what to do. Hisana was back at the raider's base camp. Twenty or so men loomed over her, watching with their hawk-like eyes as she ministered to one of their own. Hisana herself had never done anything remotely medical in her life, and was unsure how to proceed.

"I'm sorry," she said, turning to their leader, Jun. He was a tall, barrel like man, with large, burly arms and a horse-like face. His body was littered with scars, tattooing his position as leader. At his hips hung katanas so large that Hisana was not sure that they were actual katanas. His dark eyes bore down at her, ripping holes through her soul. "I cannot heal him," she muttered. "It is beyond my ability,"

"You are a woman," Jun gruffly replied. He took a step forward, grinning malignantly as she shrank back. He lived off the fear of others; seeing the terror on a woman's face made his blood boil. Hands gripping his double-edged swords, he cracked his neck. "Healing," he spat out, "Is as natural to you as spreading your legs,"

Hisana wrinkled her nose in disgust. Though he was the head of the renegade marauders, he did not seem to have the manners that normally accompanied his station. Spittle was caked on the cracks in his lips, so it looked like he foamed at the mouth like the rabid dog he was. Lovely.

"Having breasts does not mean that I come prepackaged with magical healing capabilities. The only thing I know to do is clean it and sew it up, something any moron could do," she shot back. Really, it was probably not the best time for that particular comment, but they did say that hindsight was twenty-twenty. Besides, she was a little too pissed off at the moment to care. How dare they kidnap her and expect her to play nurse? Just because she was the one who stabbed him--something Akenu made sure they all were well aware of--did not mean she knew how to undo the damage.

Jun raised his caterpillar like eyebrows. He did not seem to like Hisana's tone. Not hat she blamed him. Men like that always loved to see fear, not to have their authority usurped. When anyone, especially a woman--who he seemed to think inferior, spoke to him like that, Jun only had one response: beat them with his fists until they were a pile of pulp sniveling on the ground. Jun popped his knuckles. That seemed like the perfect solution to this problem.

Hisana saw it coming. It was a look she had seen numerous times. This was nothing new. The beatings, the derision: it was all part of life at the bathhouse. Bullies lived solely to torment those they deemed weaker. The fear, the screams, and the pain of their victims was like ambrosia to them. It was better than anything else in the world, and they were all desperate to get back to the high. She first met Takari when he saved her from Chou. The beautiful woman and one of the five resident geisha at the bathhouse enjoyed tormenting all of the bath attendants, especially those too weak to defend themselves. Hisana had seen the look on Jun's hideous mug on Chou's many times. It was relish. He was going to enjoy every second of Hisana's fear.

Well, she thought with a smug look, she'd best him there. If fear was what he wanted, she would make sure that he sure as hell wouldn't get it. He wanted to control the situation, and if he could control her fear, then he was golden. He wanted her fear, but he could not have it. Schooling her features, Hisana watched his with her wide blue eyes, never budging once as his beefy legs brought him closer. Her hands fisted in the fold of her hakamas. This was going to hurt.

Jun's large fist swung down like a pendulum, striking her with the force of a train. His large hand should have been synonymous with small boulder, because that was what it felt like. She went reeling back, hitting the top of her shoulders to the cold ground. Her entire body was arched as her head reeled. She literally saw stars, an expression that she thought was over exaggerating. The bone on his wristband had scratched her high cheek; she touched the abused area as she struggled to sit up. Though she could taste blood in her mouth, she glared at him through the tendrils of hair stuck to her sweaty face. She refused to show any sign of terror or weakness. If he saw her fear, he would beat her even harder, and she wanted to walk away as unscathed from this as possible.

Jun glared down at her. She was making him look like a wuss in front of his men. That was not allowed. Tightening his fist, he drew his arm back for the punch. It was always much more effective than slapping a bitch. Women. They all needed to be taught their place: on their knees. All around him, his men were jeering him on. They too, had to be taught their place. Once more, Jun's trustworthy fists had come to the rescue.

A firm grip caught his wrist midway. Jun turned his ugly eyes to look at the devilishly handsome face of another man. His cold gray eyes pierced Jun's flesh as his hand broke Jun's wrist. "I think that you should stop," he said in an icy voice.

Hisana blinked. She had no idea who this man coming to her aid was. No one ever helped someone else in the Rukongai. It was preposterous to do so; survival screamed to only do things that were beneficial to you and you alone. Helping a random stranger out was not self-preserving.

Jun jerked his wrist out of the man's grasp. Whoever it was was a shinigami. He donned the official black uniform. A lieutenants badge was secured to his upper arm. This guy was strong, and he was serious. Jun gave him a poisonous grin. It did him no good, however. No matter how well he had been trained, he was just a pretty boy. Pretty boys never beat his gang, not while he was in charge.

"I don't think it's yer business, pretty boy," he spat out. Literally. The man blinked before wiping the spittle away with repulsion.

"Protecting innocent people is," he stated. "I do believe that she," he cast a look at the bleeding Hisana, "Falls into the category." 

Hisana glared at him. She did not need some obstinate, self-adoring shinigami to come in and save her. She was tough, and she could most certainly take care of herself. In fact, she was just about to beat the living daylights out Jun, thank you very much. The stupid-ass, male shinigami swooped in to save the day and ruined her chance to get even. Typical men.

"She ain't yer concern," Jun cracked his knuckles menacing. Hisana rolled her eyes. Great. The old standby; when being a real man didn't work out, he just fell back to being an asinine bully. "She belongs ta us,"

The shinigami scanned Hisana from head to toe. "I see no indication that you are telling the truth. There is no wedding band nor loyalty to you in her face," he said indifferently. His eyes were dark and calculating. He sized up the twenty men present, wondering how difficult it would be for him to defeat them all. They were lowlife ruffians in his mind, not fit to walk the ground he stepped on. Trash was the correct term. That's what they all were to him, Hisana glared. Trash. He thought that they were mindless scum, unfit to breathe the same air as him. If he thought so poorly of them, then why had he felt the need to step in? Logically, he would have let them kill her and have one less piece of trash dirtying up the streets.

Jun and all of his men chuckled. "I didn't mean it like tha', kid. Yeh obviously don't get out much,"

The shinigami's eyes narrowed. "Slavery was outlawed long ago," he whispered.

Jun shrugged. "Meybe it was behind those fancy walls of yers. But, here, in the real world, pretty boy, it's still real. She's ours, and there ain't nothing you can ta stop it. So, just skip on off." He brushed his hand in the air for effect.

"I am afraid that I cannot do that," the shingami replied stiffly.

Jun drew one of his bulky katanas. "I wasn't askin',"

The shinigami raised an eyebrow out of amusement. He seemed to find the situation more humorous than serious. "I do not care. I shall take the woman and we will leave."

"She ain't goin' nowhere," Jun snarled. As if on cue, his band of brigands sprung forward. They all were poised and ready to attack, as deadly as a coiled garden snake. Yet, still, they drew their weapons faithfully like the pitiful snake baring its miniscule fangs. The shinigami surveyed them all with mild disdain. They were no match for his superior capabilities, and it was painfully obvious to them all. Yet he gave them the courtesy of acknowledgement by the nod of his head.

The shinigami's eyes narrowed. Without warning, he vanished. Reappearing a second later, he was already sheathing his glowing katana when Jun doubled over in pain. His small eyes had grown wide from pain as he clutched at his midsection. It took Hisana a moment to realize that the shinigami had cut the marauder in two. She grunted, unaffected by the death. Again with the killing. It seemed like every time she got herself into trouble, some idiotic man had to come rescue her and he ended always killing people in the process. Maybe one day, they would realize that words could solve some problems.

Who was she kidding? They were men, for goodness sake. Their testosterone laden bodies could only handle so many words. There was no way that they would ever forsake violence for civilized conversation. It was against their nature. That was one of the many reasons why Hisana hated men. Not only were they stubborn and pugnacious, but they were rarely open to change. Living in Inuzuri taught her to be wary of men, and every encounter she had with them only entrenched her dislike of the masculine sex.

The men roared as one as they leapt to defend their fallen commander. Maybe, they thought, once they killed the lowlife shinigami, they could get the woman to sew him back up. He would live and they could continue raping, pillaging and plundering their heart's content. Yeah. Definitely a good plan.

The shinigami made quick work of them. His beautiful sword glinted only once in the moonlight; he swung is so fast and wielded it with such poise that it was barely visible. He, too, was like a ghost, flitting in and out of reality. He made it look like a macabre dance, enchanting and temporary.

"Too slow, shinigami!" one faceless man foolishly cried. Having announced his plans loudly for the entire street to here, he rushed to ambush him, swinging a broadsword maniacally.

The shingami did not seem startled at all. He boldly sidestepped the attack, and did not turn around as the man stumbled by. He was too busy defending himself from the onslaught of four at once. Hisana watched, enraptured, at the deftness of his movement. Even she dismissed the stumbling brute too loud for his own good. He certainly did not miss Hisana.

"I'd fergotten about yeh," he grunted.

Hisana jerked away from his grasp.

"Best put you to some use," he mumbled. He stumbled towards her, greedy hands outstretched. Oh hell no. Hands behind her, she fumbled along Silva's waist. She could not see anything, so she had rely on touch. It was only a miracle that her fingers danced across a small dirk.

"Aagh!" she screamed as she thrust the dirk at him. He yelped as he jumped back.

"You bitch!" he yelled. "That's Silva's poisoned knife! Be careful where you put that!"

"Mwuh?" Silva sat up from behind her. Unlike Kaeko, he was one of the few people who came to instantly alert. He saw Hisana--the chit who stabbed him--kneeling before him. His dirk was clutched in her little hands. He did not like that at all.

"What the hell are yah doing?" he muttered. His hands encircled around her waist. He groped at her waist and tried to find the dagger. All he found was the sash keeping her robes closed.

"Aahh!" she screamed. Pivoting with her waist, she began to scream, "Bastard! Let go of me!" She began to smack him with the blunt side of his own dirk. "Lemme go! Lemme go! Bastard!"

"Hold still, yeh priss," Silva grunted. Rolling his eyes while as the petite girl fought, he took his fist and bonked her on the head. Hisana stopped, startled She looked at Silva with wide, round eyes. That was unexpected.

"Give me that," he yanked the knife from her hands. "It's mine,"

"Lemme go!" she demanded.

"Gimme the knife and then I'll let you go," he demanded.

"You first," she shot back.

"I'll end it," the shinigami coldly interrupted the argument. Hisana jerked back out of Silva's grasp to look around. Bodies surrounded them. Blood ran through the streets like a river, staining the hem of her robes. It smelled foul, like war. Everyone was dead except for her and Silva. She was not sure if that was good or if it was bad. You could never tell with shinigami.

"Not if I do it first, shinigami," he leapt up, now clutching his dagger. The shinigami was once more unaffected by the threat. Suddenly terrified for the shinigami though she had no reason to be, Hisan looked around, hoping to be of some contribution to the fight. She found Silba's katana. It had once lie beside him, but he had forgotten about it in his struggle to get his knife back. Steeling what little resolve she had, Hisana grabbed the dull sword. With a feral scream, she thrust it through his midsection.

Both warriors seized fighting. Each dropped their weapons. Hisana took her hands off of the katana's hilt so that she could back away from the scene. She had scared herself more than she helped the shinigami. Probably not the best thing she had ever done. So slowly that it looked like he barely moved, Silva turned his sweat covered head. "Fool," he let out a strangled whispered. "It was poisoned." He gasped in pain. It was a struggle for him to get the next words out. "They're all…poisoned," he hissed.

Without thinking, Hisana rushed forward and pulled it out. It slid out with a squelching noise. She grimaced. Silva collapsed to his knees, holding his hands over his freshest wound. This was the second time in a matter of hours that the woman had stabbed him. This time, it was fatal. With a gurgle, he fell over dead. What startled Hisana out of her stupor was the shinigami. He fell over seconds after Silva's death. His squinted eyes were now wide out of agonizing pain. Dull blue eyes traveling his form, she was forced to do a double take when she saw the crimson blood flowing from his gut.

She had stabbed him, too.

On accident, of course.

She barely caught him as he fell forwards, unconscious. Now what the hell was she supposed to do, Hisana thought to herself. She was sitting on a dead man, propping up a soon to be dead man. Thinking fast, Hisana set him down on the ground and ripped open his haori. Under normal circumstances, she would have admired his sculpted body. All she could think of doing was getting the blood to stop long enough to so she could get him back to the bathhouse and cure the poison. Logic said that it had to be a slow acting poison. It had to be or else if Silva accidently cut himself, he would have time to administer the antidote.

Pulling a flask off a corpse, Hisana took a manly swig to make sure that it was alcohol. Satisfied, she poured it over the semi-large wound in the man's abdomen. Even in his unconscious state, he grunted from the pain. Hisana winced out of empathy, but was undeterred. Taking his haori, she tore it into long straps. Balling one up, she pressed it firmly on the wound. She took the other straps and tied it securely around his stomach. By the time she was finished, it would take a katana to get it off.

Which reminded her…Grabbing the shinigami's katana, she put it back in its sheath. She grabbed Silva's katana as well. Maybe the ridiculously intelligent Bunko or Kaeko--who was surprisingly adept in things of this nature--could figure out what type of poison it was somehow. Hisana had no idea; this all was as foreign to her as the man laying on the ground, dying.

"Ugh…" the man groaned. He began to writhe on the road, trying to stir himself into consciousness.

Hisana dropped to her knees. She ran her hand along his face, wiping the sweat off his brow. "It's okay," she whispered. "You're safe now,"

"I wasn't…" he panted, "In any danger…" He had to pause to catch his breath. "Until you…" Another gasp. "Stabbed me."

Hisana flushed. "I am sorry about that. For now, rest. I'm taking care of you,"

"That's not…" Panting again, "Very comforting." Here he winced in pain.

"It'll have to do," Hisana admonished. In a softer tone, she continued, "I am Hisana,"

"Byakuya," the shinigami muttered before slipping into darkness again.

Hisana took a minute to stare down at the face of her charge. He was a handsome man, and though his body was well fit, it was easy to see that he was not used to physical labor. There was a stern peacefulness surrounding him, something that drew Hisana to him. There and then, Hisana vowed to heal him. She was the reason that he was in this situation. She would drag him back to the bathhouse, and nurse him back to health. She'd keep him safe from the madam, too, and the other attendants and geishas that would swoop in like vultures. They would try to seduce him. As a shinigami, he had access to the outside world, and there was nothing any woman would not stoop to if it meant getting out of hell. Well, she would not let that happen. Hisana squared her shoulders with determination. She would get him back to health in secret and then send him packing.

That way, they all could forget that this ever happened.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

**A/N: Another chapter done. I know…it is long. All the chapters for this story will be fifteen pages or longer. I was going for twenty here, but thought that it wrapped up better here. If that makes sense. I appreciate all you guys who are reading it. And, if you would be so kind, please take the ten seconds it takes to review. Reviews make me happy. And we all know that happy writers write faster. **

**Oh, and as a warning: This story might be bumped up to 'M' for language and possible nudity. I'm not sure yet myself. Be warned. (The possible nudity would be for humor purposes, in case you were wondering. I haven't planned lemons for this. And if one's in the works, I'll let you know. It's possible that one might grow. )**


	3. Angels Dwell Among Us

**A/N: Here is the second chapter. Exciting, I know. I'm sure that you all were waiting at apt attention. (That was sarcasm, if you could not tell.) As usual, I own nothing but the situation I put Tite's characters in. Thankies all for the reads! This story takes place around the 1920's or 30's, in case you all were curious. **

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Chapter Two: Angels Dwell

It was hard, lugging his butt back to the bathhouse, but Hisana did it. It took several hours and even more pit stops so she could catch her breath, but she got him there. Standing before the looming painted building, she had no idea how to proceed. This was not good, not good at all. If she drug him through the house, people were sure to notice. Not everyone was shinigami friendly, and it was likely that she would not get him to her room before the Madame intervened. The nosy lady would surely complicate things. Knowing her, she would take him to her room to heal and molest him while pilfering his pockets for any gold.

"Ugh," she grunted as she lifted the unconscious shinigami off the ground. Previously, she had altered between dragging him on a cardboard box and trying to push it forward. The box was now useless against the stairs and the two elevators of the bathhouse. God bless human technology. Holding his arm over her shoulder, she lugged him up the front steps. With a gasp, she dropped him on the washroom floor. She was not the paradigm of physical fitness, but she thought that she was a little bit stronger than that. Just carrying his sorry butt fifteen feet was exhausting.

Still, a promise was a promise. Hisana grunted and grabbed the shinigami. Trying to be as quiet as possible, she literally drugged him by his arm through the washroom and into the main rooms that housed the baths, grunting and groaning all the way. A trail of blood followed in her wake. Her heart fluttered his wounds had opened. This night was getting better and better.

Thump! Thump! Thump! That was the sound of his head hitting each of the stairs. Hisana rolled her eyes. This was so cliche it was sad. He was the very definition of hard headed. Blood pounded in her ears, and she could feel the rush as it pounded through her head. Her senses were all on high alert. She listened for any creak or groan that was not her own. Anytime she thought someone was coming, she would drag the man--Byakuya, he called himself--into a dark corner to wait. It was all in her mind; no one ever walked by.

Oh, thank God! They finally made it to the elevator. There were two of the modern technology in the bathhouse, and they were lifesavers. One ran from the second floor to the fifth floor and then the other went from the sixth to the tenth. Only the Madame or her cronies went up to the tenth floor: the Madame's suite penthouse. Hisana pulled the lever, opening the gilded doors, and they were off. Higher and higher they slowly climbed until, at last, after what felt like years of travel, they finally reached the ninth floor.

With another grunt, Hisana lifted up Byakuya's heavy form and began to tiptoe down the creaky hallway. She was sweating from her effort. This guy sure could loose a few pounds. There was only one light on in the hallway at three-thirty in the morning. Had she really one been gone an hour and forty-five minutes? It had seemed so much longer than that. Sliding open the door to her room, she was not surprised to find all of her friends jammed together inside. Her's was the one with the light on.

"Hisana!" Kaeko cried with relief. She leapt out of her lover's arms and rushed to her best friend. "We were so worried about you!" she exclaimed.

"We went out to look for you, but we couldn't find you anywhere," Haruhi added dolefully from her position on the floor.

Her twin, Bunko, was the one to ask the question that they all were thinking. "Who's that?"

"Oh," Hisana shrugged, pulling him up higher on her shoulders "Him?" she asked the obvious. "This is Byakuya. He saved me from the raiders and was stabbed with a poisoned blade. On accident," she added as an afterthought.

Kaeko rolled her eyes as she took the unconscious man from Hisana's arms. "People stab people of purpose in fights, Hisana. That's how they work. You should know that by now."

Hisana bit back her retort and quietly followed Kaeko to the pallets. "Lay him on mine," she whispered.

Kaeko nodded. It was understandable that Hisana would feel responsible for the man. He had saved her from the raiders, and was hurt in the process. The argument could be made that it was her fault. Which it most certainly wasn't, Kaeko thought with a fierce scowl. "Do you know what kind of poison it way?" she asked as she kneeled down beside Hisana.

Hisana shook her head hard. "No idea," she muttered. "The man--Silva--laced all of his weapons with it."

"It must be slow acting, then," Takari said. He joined the two women on the floor. His face was grave. "This Silva character could have killed himself accidently if it was anything else. You didn't happen to check his person to see if he had the antidote on him, did you?" he asked softly.

"I didn't think about that,"

"It's okay," Kaeko patted her shaking hand gently. "We'll figure something out. What about your uncle?" she asked Takari. "He is a doctor, isn't he?"

Takari bobbed his head. "Hai. He is. Shall I fetch him?"

"Please," Kaeko ordered. "Haruhi, run downstairs and get some of the herbal water from the big bath. It's got medicinal properties. Bunko, go get me fresh bandages and towels. Lots of towels." As the attendants rushed off to follow her commands, she turned to comfort Hisana. "We'll get the poison out, just you wait. We'll sweat it out until Taraki's uncle gets here. We'll make the fever break. I promise." 

"I hope so," Hisana nodded.

It had not taken long for Taraki's uncle to arrive. By that time, the swift attendants had wrapped Byakuya in steaming towels and were trying to break his fever. With an approving nod, the old healer set to work. He examined the wound, and sterilized it. It must have been filthy because Byakuya squirmed and writhed in his sleep. Hisana grabbed his hand and squeezed it, trying to give him any type of comfort. She willed him to feel better, to give her pain. Only one person was allowed to remain with the patient and doctors. The obvious choice was Hisana. It warmed Sailong's heart to see the warmth and devotion she showed the young man. In his mind, they were lucky to have found each other. Sailong then prodded his bony fingers over Byakuya, feeling for broken bones or unexplained lumps. After he was satisfied with the physical, he began to treat Byakuya's poison. It was a cream that was to be administered twice a day for a week. It would draw the poison from the wound like tears, curing him. They also were to keep warm clothes on his head to break the fever.

Hisana thanked the doctor and took up her vigil, not sleeping for the rest of the night. The Madame was not gracious enough to give everyone the day off after the raid. Work needed to be done, baths cleaned and food prepared--the customers were still coming. She stole away from work as often as she could to make sure he was all right. It was going to be a long week, but she was prepared to nurse him back to health so he could be on his way. She was sure that his family was missing him something fierce. He stayed asleep for three days.

It was Kaeko who was with him when he came to. She had been contemplating her beloved's rather risque suggestion when their ward began to shift uncomfortably. His handsome head rolled to the side, and Kaeko immediately leaned down to inspect his face. Dark gray eyes snapped open, but sleep still lingered in them. He was dazed and confused when he tried to sit up. His muscles failed him, and he collapsed back down to the ground.

"Ugh…" he groaned. "Sana?"

Kaeko shook her head. "You mean Hisana?" She watched recognition flash through those intense eyes. Her heart warmed. It was so sweet. He was asking for the girl who he saved and in return, saved him. Love. Ohhh…maybe fate had brought them together in such a tempestuous way so that, after a battery of trials, they could have a passionate and ever-lasting love. It was so romantic! "She's here. Let me get her. Hang on a second,"

Kaeko through open the door, and rushed down the stairs. She bounced up and down on her toes, waiting. It felt like the ride took twice as long as it normally did. It slid open and, by the mercy of the heavens, Hisana was waiting on the other side with an arm full of dripping towels. She frowned above the mass of geriatric filth when she saw her long time friend. "Aren't you supposed to be with Byakuya?"

"He's come to," Kaeko grabbed her and pulled her into the elevator. "He's asking for you,"

"Me?" Hisana shrieked. "Why me?"

"I dunno. True love, maybe…" She grabbed the towels from her arms. "Where are these going?"

"To the washrooms," Hisana answered. She made sure to dump every last sheet into her arms. "Thanks," she said as Kaeko stepped off the elevator.

Kaeko shrugged as much as she could. "No problem, Chan. Now, go."

Hisana jerked the lever down. She stumbled slightly on her shaky knees as the elevator jerked upwards; it was nerves, she told herself. For modern technology, it was very bumpy. If it took Kaeko twice as long to get down, it must have taken Hisana ten minutes to get up. When the door slid open, she was out and running down the hallway. After passing six sliding doors, she flung hers open and walked inside. Byakuya lay on the pallet, hands folded plaintively over his bandages as he waited for her. When the door opened, he turned his handsome head to look at her.

"Hello, Hisana." His voice was dark and sensuous. It washed over her like warm water, raising goose bumps all over her body.

"Hello, Byakuya," she replied. Heat rose to her face, and she began to sweat. She was suddenly very embarrassed to be in front of him. Of course, she did stab him, so that was just cause.

He seemed to understand her embarrassment. "You stabbed me," was the first thing out of his mouth.

"I know" she replied. She bit her lip. "Sorry about that," she answered.

"I cannot tell you that it is not your fault, for it is," was his stiff answer.

"I was trying to help you." Even to her ears, the excuse sounded lame. She offered him a repentant shrug. "I'm sorry,"

Byakuya looked down at his body. He saw the bandages wrapping his torso. The water and the medicines were still by his head. "You saved my life," he said with mild surprise.

Hisana kneeled beside him. She took his hand in her own as a gesture of comfort. "I had to return the favor,"

"Hn," he grunted. She never would have expected such a noise from a shinigami. "That is not what I would have expected from the people of the Rukongai."

He was too polite to say trash. She gave him a soft smile in gratification. "When, milord shinigami, have you ever had the chance to speak to lowlife such as us? We are as foreign to you as your are to us, and we always will be. But don't judge us by your city knowledge, because I can promise you it's wrong."

"I would not say that," Byakuya answered.

"You would be wrong in some cases. There are a lot of good people out here,"

"I have not met any that would qualify as good." He glanced at her face, "Other than you,"

Hisana flushed. "While I thank you for classifying me as good, I can assure you I'm not. But, there are good people here. Like Kaeko,"

"The woman who was with me earlier?"

Hisana nodded her head. "Yes. She is good. And so is her friend, Takari. It was his uncle--a doctor--who treated your wounds."

"The ones you gave me?"

"Yeah," she answered. She was getting tire of blushing because of this man. "The ones I gave you. Again, I'm sorry."

"I forgive you," was Byakuya's instant response. It was obvious to Hisana that he was well bred. The words were stiff and emotionless. It was not obvious if he forgave her or not, and that she did not like. Being educated made you unable to express your emotions and unable to connect to people. It was not good for anyone to be educated.

"Tell me again when you mean it," Hisana said to him. "Don't bullshit me,"

"You're right," he said gravely.

"About what?" Hisana inquired.

"You are bad, as well. Ladies do not swear," he answered.

Hisana looked down at her apparel, ashamed. He was right. She was not a lady. Far from it, in fact. Her hands were dirty and calloused from work: work high bred ladies never fancied about doing. Her clothes were baggy and ratty, second hand, far from the silks and chiffons of the geishas. Her hair was greasy and matted; she only bathed once a week. Her face was not painted with charcoal, and it would likely never be. She was far from the ladies that he encountered on a daily basis. Though ashamed of her situation, Hisana lifted her chin proudly, barely managing to mimic an offended courtier. "Ladies have no place here, Byakuya. You should do well to remember that,"

He arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. Hisana was blown away. Was everything about the shinigami etched in marble like Adonis? "Is that a threat?" he asked her. Once more, there was no fear in his voice. There wouldn't be. She was small, and petite, a Rukongai woman defenseless against the powerful shinigami laying wounded beside her. She watched him taken on twenty armed men without a trace of fear. Nothing about her would remotely threaten him. His cocky attitude annoyed her.

"No," she said softly…meekly. She needed to remember who her betters were. He was one of them. "It was merely a warning. Some of the women here can be…aggressive. They will do everything in their power to get out of here. Be on your toes until you get back to your home,"

"I see," Byakuya nodded his head once. It hit the floor with a soft thud. Hisana cracked a smile. He was still weak from the poison; he'd yet to rise from his prone position. Sailong warned that it might be a few days before he recovered most of his strength. "Are you one of those desperate women?"

Hisana did not have to think about her answer. It fell clumsily out of her mouth before she could properly think of the words. "I have family in the Rukongai. A sister. I would not like to leave her alone,"

"Is she alone now?" he asked.

Though she did not realize it, her thumb stroked the top of his hand. Her eyes grew watery as Hisana stared off into space. The day she abandoned Rukia was crystal clear in her mind, as if it had been minutes since the abominable act. "No," she shook her head. "I hope not. The last I saw her, she was with a respectable family in the thirty-seventh district."

"That is not a respectable district, despite the fact that it is in the lower ones," Byakuya warned her. He flinched when he saw the shock and fear on her easily readable features.

"Really?" She was genuinely shocked. "I thought it was rather good,"

He shook his head no. "There are much better ones,"

"But…it…it could be worse," she protested. "There are worse ones out there"

"Only if you go to the upper districts," Byakuya muttered darkly. "They are truly savage,"

"Oh," Now she felt peachy. More ashamed than ever, Hisana turned her gaze downward. She felt especially low class and disgusting. He held no love for anyone in the upper districts; he thought that they were trash. Putrid refuse was more likely. It was not turning out to be a good day for Hisana.

"Where are you from?" he asked her. He was well aware of his faux pas, and would try to remedy it. She did not want his pity. Pity was worse than charity, which was basically the same thing. People forgot that poor souls still had feelings. She was strong enough to provide herself, not Rukia, maybe, but for herself. She'd found a way to keep herself afloat so that she could hopefully find Rukia and make things right. She would not take anyone's charity, and she certainly did not want his pity.

"Inuzuri," she clarified, "The seventieth district,"

He had the decency to wince. That only irked her. Had she not made it clear that she did not want his pity? "You have done well for yourself to have moved up to the tenth district."

The bathhouse was located in the tenth district because that's where all the customers were. Those of the Seireitei could make the occasional trek to be pampered. The nobles, however, enjoyed coming so far away from their grandiloquent home to see the rural ruggedness of the commoner's life. They considered poverty to be the status of those living in the tenth district, and enjoyed viewing other's misery every blue moon. How very wrong they were. The tenth district civilians were still quiet wealthy, and they knew it. That did not stop them from capitalizing on the noble's ignorance.

"I am a servant, noble shinigami. I do not own my own soul. That is not doing well," she snapped back acerbically. She suddenly was very angry at his ignorance. He was so pompous and close-minded that he could not grasp what was right before his nose. She wanted to smack him, but restrained herself. She did not know him well enough to do that, and it would be improper. The repercussions could be grave.

"You are a servant," he repeated. There was no disdain in his voice, just acceptance. Thankfully, he had not expected more out of her. He saw her as inferior from the beginning, and that would make taking care of him easier. "You should have some freedom. You can come and go as you please, and take your leave whenever you wish,"

Once more, she wanted to hit him, strangle him, inflict some sort of physical damage to him. That was the only to teach someone, and the only way to learn. Or so she had been taught. Hisana received more boxed ears the first fortnight in the bathhouse than slaps on the ass in all her time in Inuzuri. One thing was for certain, you did learn and learn it quickly. "To be a servant means that I am an indentured servant,"

His face remained blank. In his world, there was nothing wrong with that. "So you are working off a debt," he thought out loud.

Hisana shook her head no. "I sold myself for twelve gold coins. It takes approximately twelve years to work off that debt. With interest, I'm up to at least twenty. That's not including room, board and clothing. I'm as good as a slave for the next hundred years. And during that time, I do whatever I am told by anyone higher up than I am, which is just about everyone."

"You must have some freedom, some ability to deny anything that is immoral or illicit--"

"No," Hisana cut him off. "I do what I am told. No matter what it is. I am at the disposal of the Madame, and I will do as she instructs me. I don't care what it is. I am grateful that she even took me in the first place,"

Byakuya tried to sit up. He fell back down as his beautiful face contorted into a mask of agonizing pain. Hisana hovered above him. Her hands pressed against his body, holding him feebly down. His pain shifted into a mask of rage. "You are a slave!" He tried to sit up but Hisana pushed him back down.

"Stay down," she ordered.

"Slavery was outlawed twenty years ago! It's barbaric," he snarled.

"Maybe behind your walls, it is illegal, but out here--in the real world--it is very real. Your laws don't apply to us. You might have some mistaken notion that they do, but I can promise you that they don't. We are two separate worlds, and the only time your rules matter is when you're enforcing them. The rest of the time, they don't count for jack. So, don't get worked up over something you can't change," Hisana shot back. "Besides," she added, trying to calm him down, "It isn't like I didn't ask for it. I did sell myself to the Madame. I knew what I was doing,"

"How could you belittle yourself in such a manner? You have rights, just as the next soul does. To forfeit them--"

"Don't pretend that you understand, Byakuya," Hisana cut him off mid rant. Her face was serious, but not angry. She just wanted him to understand. Life in the real world was harsh, and it was beyond his comprehension. _She just wanted him to understand_. It wasn't like she wanted to be an indentured servant, to spend the next century bathing old men. He couldn't understand, not when he was pampered everyday in the luxurious life of a shinigami. "You never will. It was my choice, and I stand by it."

"You are daft, woman," he snapped out, no doubt annoyed that she interrupted him. He glared at her. She cowered but tried to stand firm. She did not regret it. She regretted giving up Rukia, but deep down, it was obvious that that was what was best for the infant. If she stayed with Hisana, she would have died. Hopefully, the family would take much better care of her than Hisana ever could.

"I don't care what you think," Hisana replied, careful to keep her voice even. She did not want to offend the shinigami, though he no problem offending her. His wrath could be severe. "Now sleep. You need your rest to recover."

"I am just fine," he grunted out.

"No, you are not." Hisana responded firmly. "Sleep," she ordered. Tucking him in the futon securely, she pushed his hair away from his eyes and she began to sing him a lullaby. Hopefully, he would fall asleep quicker. She had work that needed to be done. _"Nen nen cororiyo, ocororiyo. Boya wa yoiko da, nen ne shina. Boya no omori wa, doko e itta ano yama koete, sato e itta sato no miyage ni nani morotaden den daikon ni, sho no fue_."

After Byakuya fell asleep, Hisana stood up. Her muscles were sore from inactivity but she didn't care. She closed the door and wished for a lock. It was rare that anyone else would enter her room, but she didn't want to chance it. Hopefully the shinigami knew to be quiet.

Hisana stayed and watched her charge for several more minutes. It did her heart good to see him sleeping serenely. At least he was not too put out by their current arrangements. The same could not be said for Hisana. She had been spending her nights on the floor with no cushion or cover. Her shoulders ached and her back was now permanently askew. It was until he got better, she kept reminding herself, it wasn't a forever thing. She owed him at least this; she did stab him after all. She did not notice Kaeko slide the door open.

"Hey, Hisana." Kaeko walked over to her. "How's he doing?"

"He has to be getting better," Hisana folded her arms across her chest. "He's certainly getting his arrogant shinigami manners back,"

Kaeko chuckled. "Well, that he can't help. You know that the Soul Society makes them all arrogant fools. It's all he knows,"

"Hmphf," Hisana grunted. "You'd think they learn."

Kaeko squeezed her shoulder. "It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks." 

"More like a stubborn mule," Hisana muttered.

With a mirthful shake of her head, Kaeko dropped a rice dumpling in Hisana's lap and a slice of bread. "I managed to swipe that from the kitchens for you,"

Hisana gave her friend a heart felt smile. "Thanks, Kaeko,"

Kaeko shrugged. "It was no problem. You know how quick these fingers are." She held up her hands to show her dancing and wiggling fingers.

Following her friend, Hisana and Kaeko sat on the edge of the small balcony. Every room had one, so that the workers felt like they had some luxury in their miserable lives. It was so small that it could not really be called a balcony. It was more like a verandah, barely as big as the narrow hallway. Hisana draped her legs over the side as she watched the moon hang in the sky. It illuminated the barren world in its silver glow, turning the desert into something more ghosty. There was nothing ethereal about tonight's moon.

Kaeko lay beside her, munching on her own meal. She let out a mournful sigh. "I've gotta get out of here, kid."

Hisana knew that she was not supposed to answer. She took a bite of her bread. It was warm and moist, fresh out of the oven. Kaeko really did have silver fingers.

"Someday I will. I'll walk out those grand doors, and down that dusty road. I won't even look back. Someday soon, I'll disappear and it will be as if I never existed here. I'll just be gone…" Her words hung tantalizing in the air. They sounded so exquisite, like the siren's call, beckoning Hisana to follow them. And just to hear their music one more time, Hisana would have gladly followed them off the verandah and plummeting to the dusty rocks below.

"It won't be as if you never existed, Kaeko," was her soft, meek reply. Kaeko turned her head to see Hisana's doe-like eyes staring off into space. Her pink lips moved of their own accord, leaving Kaeko to wonder if Hisana even knew what she was saying. "Even if everyone else forgets you…I'll remember,"

Kaeko nodded. She accepted her friends love and reverence of her. From Hisana's pallet, the shinigami stared at the ceiling with alert eyes. He had heard every word. The depth of the women had surprised him. And the longing…it broke his heart.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Hisana's entire body ached. There had been no rest all day. It was one chore after another, and then there seemed to be a barrage of customers. Her hands were raw from scrubbing bathtubs and then clients. She was wet from head to toe, and tired of it. She wanted to go to sleep in her comfy futon and forget the world. That was impossible since the uptown shinigami was resting in her futon. She was very jealous of him. Daydreams of the soft, warm bed and the pleasant sensation of waking up filtered into her imagination. If only was up there right now, she dreamed; she'd boot that shinigami out of her bed and fall into the deepest of sleeps…

"Fix this nail. It's crooked," a nasally voice snapped.

Hisana was roughly brought back to reality by the pampered princess in the large bath. She was filing the raven haired beauty's nails while Kaeko washed her silky hair with one of the many herbal concoctions that the bathhouse was renown for. Rolling her eyes, Hisana picked up her dainty hand. "Of course, milady."

"So," Kaeko whispered conversationally in her ear. "I have news,"

Hisana glanced briefly at her. This was the signal to continue. Hisana could not take her eyes of Lady Misa's nails for more than a second or else the pesky girl would wail. Neither attendant wanted that. The look Hisana sent Kaeko laughed and whispered with glee. _Go on_, it cooed.

"I think I know who Byakuya's family is," Kaeko mouthed to Hisana. They had not lulled Misa Kuchiki into a deep enough state of comfort to be able to talk.

"What?" Hisana silently screamed at her friend. Her hands stopped their ministrations as she stared slack jawed at her friend.

Kaeko bobbed her head. Watching her best friend's face was priceless. It went from shocked to impressed and then al the blood drained fro her face. She was back to shocked, and there was some fear in her eyes, as well. Kaeko leaned forward; it looked like the poor girl was about to have a heart attack.

"Hisana?" she said out loud. The alarm in her voice alerted Lady Misa. The beautiful girl turned her damp head to look at her attendants. Perfectly arched eyebrows shot up, not in surprise at the expression on the girl's face, but the girl's face itself. It was puffy and swollen. One large eye was swollen shut, and a lovely shade of indigo, with a sickly green dabbed around the edge. Her cheek had a deep cut slicing its own bruise in half. It was disgusting. Even her lips looked swollen and beaten. Misa was shocked. She thought that this was a reputable place, despite its shady location. The Madame of the house swore that the staff was well clothed and fed, and that nary a hand was lain on them. This poor girl's body protested silently otherwise. She would have to speak to her aunt about this.

"Who?" the attendant shrieked. Misa blinked. The servants were having a conversation while they were servicing her. Worse yet, they were ignoring her to have it! Of all the insults and outrages to be had, this topped them all!

Both girls were aware of the Lady's mounting agitation. That was not a good thing, but they ignored her. For once, gossip was more important. Besides, Kaeko could answer Hisana's question with a simple gesture. With her friend's solemn eyes watching her, Kaeko jerked her head in the direction of the girl in the bath. Hisana's mouth fell open. Her wide set eyes blinked owlishly. There was no way, no way at all. She looked back and forth between Lady Misa Kuchiki and Kaeko, trying to figure out if her friend was telling the truth or just joking. It wasn't like Kaeko to joke around during work. The resemblance between Lady Misa and Byakuya was outstanding. They looked almost like twins, except for the obvious masculine and feminine distinctions.

"Oh my gosh!" Hisana dropped her nail file. It clattered to the floor with a soft twang. Lady Misa made a noise of protest, but stopped when Hisana held up a hand to stop her. Misa had never been hushed by a servant before, and was not sure what to make of it. "Are you serious?" she cried. Of course she was. The family resemblance was too much to miss, but she had to hear it again. She needed the confirmation.

"I overheard the matriarchs talking about him. They called him by his name," Kaeko answered with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Lady Misa!" Hisana cried. The servant now had Misa's full attention. "Do you have a brother or cousin or husband or uncle of some sort named Byakuya?" It probably was not a good idea to scream the question out loud and stare at the Lady in the eyes, but Hisana was thinking about protocol. She was thinking that she might be getting her bed back very soon. That would be the best thing ever.

Lady Misa stood up out of the water. The herbal water cascaded down her perfect body, and Hisana felt ashamed of her marred one. This was the form of a true lady. "You know of my cousin?" Misa leaned forward. Her pretty face now held the same intensity that Hisana's did. Their noses were centimeters apart as they looked at each other with trepidation and anticipation. They were both thinking the same thing: could this finally be it?

"You've a cousin named Byakuya?" Hisana prodded. She had to be sure, after all. She didn't want to put him in the hands of some lunatic bent on revenge or whatever. Hey…she didn't know what he did in his spare time.

"Yes. He's been missing almost two weeks now," Misa declaimed fervently. She was so close to her cousin, she could almost see him. Somehow, it was all interconnected. The girl's face, the bathhouse, Byakuya's disappearance. Misa knew instinctively the way a woman does, that the bruised girl before her was somehow the key.

Kaeko and Hisana shared a glance. Kaeko nodded. "That's him,"

"Do you know where he is?" Misa begged. Quite literally. She was a Kuchiki, born and bred, and she was begging to servants to tell her where her cousin was. She had always been close to Byakuya, and it was only for him that she would ever lower herself to such submissive standards.

Hisana bobbed her broken head. "Of course we do. Come," she helped the sopping wet but uncaring Misa Kuchiki into her silk robe. "He's in our room,"

"Why is he in your room?" Misa asked. She followed the two attendants dutifully. Bath be damned. She was finding her cousin and she wasn't leaving until she knew everything that happened. She had some serious work to do to keep the rumors quiet. They would spread like fire and damage Byakuya's reputation if she didn't come up with good cover story for his disappearance and fast.

"He saved me from a band of raiders a few weeks ago and was hurt in the process," Hisana explained to her.

"We've been caring for him," Kaeko added. "We didn't have a clue as to who he was until I overheard the women with you talking about him,"

Misa nodded her head. "My mother and my aunt. His mother," she tacked on, in case they were dull. Those two, while sweet, talked louder than necessary. The walls around here had ears and legs, and before you knew it, word spread like wild fire. Not good, not good. The damage control was going to be severe.

"We ask that you keep your voice down," Kaeko said as the elevator lurched upwards. "No one knows that we have him. We didn't know who to trust and whatnot,"

Misa nodded. She could respect their privacy, and she would. They had taken in one of her own, and for that, the Kuchiki family was indebted to them. She would make sure that it was paid in full.

"Here we are," Hisana whispered. They were standing in front of the door. Hisana took a deep, steeling breath. She had realized that giving Byakuya back to his family would cause such a wrenching feeling in her gut. She had almost gotten accustomed to the arrogant man talking down to her and trying to say thank you without saying the words. He was too proud to thank the help; it was sad to see someone so wrapped up in propriety that he thought human beings were nothing more than mindless beasts. She had feelings too, you know.

Byakuya was sleeping when they walked in. Hisana rolled her eyes. He was the laziest man she knew; all he did was sleep the day away and then the night, too. It was pathetic. Shinigami always had been lazy; they were rarely seen in the Rukongai. "Byakuya," she called out as she walked in. Her footsteps were nearly silent, barely above a whisper. Misa watched in amazement. She never really paid attention to a servant before. The silence and the economical ways of their movements was graceful. Everything was done to conserve energy for the next task, and to make as little as noise as possible so as to not disturb the guests--or the nobles of a great house, Misa realized with a start. "Byakuya," Hisana called out again as she kneeled beside him.

"Wake up." Her hand gently shook him. "You sleep all day. You can get up for five minutes,"

An eye cracked open. "Just five minutes?" he asked her. His voice was dry and it cracked. She graced him with a smile, and offered him a small cup of water. They kept it by his bed in case he was thirsty; he was too ignorant to see it.

"That's all," she bantered back with him. Helping him sit up, she lifted the coarse wooden cup to his lips. "But…" she trailed off when he gave her a skeptical quirk of his eyebrow, "It wouldn't hurt you to stay awake a little longer,"

"And why is that?" he drawled.

Misa chose this time to reveal herself. The silk robe rustled loudly as she rushed forward. "Byakuya!" she cried. She fell to her knees with a loud thud. She threw her arms around her wide-eyed cousin. He wasted no time in wrapping his strong arms around her and squeezing her tight. The girl was average size, but she looked very tiny in his large embrace. Hisana was struck by how large he was.

"Misa," he whispered her name. "How did you know? How did you find me?"

"They told me," she answered. "That's not important. Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Kaeko and Hisana shared a look of outrage.

"No, no. I am quite fine," Byakuya rushed to reassure her. "They have been quite kind to me,"

It was painfully obvious to Hisana that he was a noble, now. He never once swore, and he just as often used contractions. Only the high upper class spoke in such a way.

"Probably wanting money or some reward," Misa muttered. She thought it was too low for the attendants to hear, but as Byakuya learned, nothing was unheard in the bathhouse. He saw both girls wince at the accusations. They did not expect him to come to their defense, and he did not. Misa would never see them as beings more than animals; neither would Byakuya.

"Come," Misa said briskly, easily taking charge of the situation. "Let's get you back to the manor. I'll have a real doctor look you over, fix any damage that some lowlife surgeon inflicted,"

Byakuya winced as Misa wrapped her arms around his still healing wound. She squeezed it tight, and Hisana resisted the urge to tell her to be careful. She was focusing too much on keep Kaeko from yelling at the stuck-up noble. She was insulted for her, Takari and his uncle. Hisana had a long rant in store for her. They watched silently as the two Kuchiki's limped and walked past them. Misa tried to be a support her for injured cousin but she was not strong enough. It never entered her mind to ask the attendants for help. She was too proud for that, any way. Just like that, the Kuchikis walked out of their lives. No thank yous or goodbyes, they just walked away.

Typical nobles.

Though insulted, Hisana could not bring herself to care. Slowly, she walked over to her futon. Her knees gave away and she collapsed on her futon. She was physically and mentally exhausted. She was out cold before she hit the bed. Byakuya heard a loud thump. He turned to see what happened, but Misa pulled him towards the door, out of their lives forever.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

It was late at night, and the stars shown brightly in the sky. The world was quiet, peaceful, serene. Hisana was exhausted. She collapsed on her futon already asleep. It was the third week that Byakuya was gone from their lives, and Hisana needed all the sleep she could get. Her entire body sagged, and she wanted to do was sleep until Saturday. Unfortunately, that was not possible. It was already Saturday. Maybe she could relax next weekend. Fat chance.

It was late at night, at that hour where everything interesting seems to happen. She had been in the deepest sleep possible on her futon, and would have been perfectly content to stay asleep. Her body had other ideas. She was hot, burning up. Sweat poured off her scantily clad form, making her toss and turn in her futon. She kicked her measly blanket away in hopes of alleviating some of the intense heat. The air felt cold against her glistening skin for a second before it grew even hotter. The wails of the other workers did not make sleeping any easier. Their moans and groans and shouts echoed in the empty hallways of the wooden house, making them seem even louder to her sleep deprived mind.

"Hisana!" someone screamed her name. "Come on!"

Hisana sat up, intending to hit whoever woke her up at the forsaken hour. She blinked once…twice…thrice when she realized that she was the only one in the room. The screams, however, were getting louder. And the temperature in the room rose before her wide eyes. She could smell the smoke, and feel the heat from the distant flames. The bathhouse was on fire.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

A/N: This is probably how long it will take me to get every chapter written. I had ninety percent of it written, and then got writer's block. I wanted to smack something. Thank you to every one who is reading this, especially **RedVeinRoses**, who was the first person to review this story! This chapter was for you! Hope you like it. Hisana's song was a little Japanese lullaby that I found on the internet. I didn't even have to change the words to make it fit, so that was nifty.

**English lyrics to Hisana's song: **

go to sleep, go to sleep

you are a good boy, go to sleep

where did your nanny go she crossed over a mountain and went to her village

what souvenir did you get from her village a small drum and a flute

I hope that none of you are getting bored. I know that it is a slow build up, but the action is coming soon. It's in the next chapter in fact. Now, I have one question: are the chapters too long? I know that it is only the second chapter, but it's forty pages total. So, we're averaging just under twenty pages per chapter if you don't include the prologue. I can shorten them up a bit and make the story longer chapter wise. Length wise, it will still be the same. Let me know your thoughts.

One last thing, this is not going to be like any of the other ByaSana stories posted. None that I have read, at least. There are going to be lots of twists and turns ahead of our star crossed lovers. I don't think that Byakuya would fall in love fast, so it will take some time. And a lot of aggravation is ahead for everyone!


	4. It Ends Tonight

A/N: Finally, we are going to have some action. It's not a lot, but it will be there. There is quite a bit of drama though.** Warning:** Abuse! Don't read if you don't want to know that someone is going to get the shit beat out of them. Any guesses who it is? I think it is fairly obvious.

For the chapter titles, I'm doing it in that annoying playlist format. I know that everyone hates those authors who give you a playlist for their story and make you listen to it. I hate them to. Which makes it even funnier that I'm doing one now. So, sorry for going against my morals and better judgement. I'm doing it anyway. The prologue doesn't get a song. Then there is Meet Virginia by Train. Most people know the that one. Chapter Two is Angels Dwell by the Scott Miller Band. That is one of the best songs ever written. It's simple yet moving…and perfect for Chapter Two. And the third chapter is It Ends Tonight by the All American Rejects…great name for a band, by the way.

On with the show!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Chapter Three--It Ends Tonight

The bathhouse was on fire. The bathhouse was on fire. The bathhouse was on fire! Hisana could not believe it as she leapt out of bed. "Kaeko!" Hisana rolled off her futon. Hisana stopped in alarm. Kaeko's bed was empty. The sheets were tussled and her pillow was still lumpy. She had not been gone for long. Why had she fled the room without raising Hisana?

Unfortunately, Hisana did not have time to ponder that. Not when flames were licking at her door. Leaping with all of her might, she bound over the orange flames and ran down the hallway. At least…she tried to. She immediately ran into a wall of other souls trying to escape. They were clambering to get in the elevator. Her heart raced as the flames grew closer to them. Screams echoed from every floor. There was over one hundred souls working at the bathhouse. There was no way that they all were getting out of there alive. The stark realization made Hisana's blood turn cold. Her body shook as her attempts to escape turned more frantic. She shoved her way through the crowd, pushing and pulling in her fervor to get to the front of the pack.

"No fair!" someone screamed as she darted around the fat lady.

"Hey!" a man's voice protested.

She paid them no heed. Self-preservation was at the forefront of her mind. She would do anything to get herself out of the burning bathhouse. Just like any soul would. The doors were about to close. The jam packed elevator was overflowing already. It was impossible to fit any soul on board, even one as tiny as Hisana. She was not going to let that stop her. Jumping forward, she shoved her way in between to other souls. There were several grunts out of protestation and annoyance. She did not care. Hisana wedged herself between two oversized souls and watched with large, smirking eyes as the elevator doors closed.

They jolted to a start. The creaking and groaning of the lift was loud, even over the chatter of frightened souls and the screams of those left to burn. She began to fear that the lift would not make it to the fifth floor in time, that she would die in the little box stuffed to the brim with other souls. The floorboards were groaning from the weight of the pressed souls tightly together. It sounded like the center of the lift would break in any second. Thank heaven for small favors; Hisana was at the edge of the elevator. When the doors opened, she would be the first one out.

When the rusty doors slid open, Hisana darted like an arrow off the lift, every soul in the elevator right behind her. They all had to get the other lift to get to the bottom. There were stairs, but those would be clogged with departing souls. There was no way that taking the stairs would be faster than the elevator. She waited impatiently, shoving her way through the throng of crowded souls. They too were pushing their way to the front. There was not a single way for her to get through.

Smoke was billowing out of the floorboards, clogging the stifled air. Hisana coughed, blinking tears out of the corner of her eyes. The fire was fast spreading. Soon it would reach the fifth floor and the elevator shaft. This would be the last load to go down to the bottom floor. The last load of survivors. Hisana renewed her vigorous attempts to get to the elevator. The other workers seemed to come to the same realization as her, and fought valiantly for a spot on the lift. As soon as the doors slid open, there was a mad scramble for the inside of the lift. Souls were screaming madly as they shoved friend and family out of the way. Self-preservation was always at the forefront at everyone's mind. Such was the way of the Rukongai.

Hisana was almost on the elevator floor when a hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. "Stay away, bitch!" it screamed. She could not tell if it was a man's voice, or a woman's but it did not matter. She was pulled away from her goal, but undeterred.

She yelped in pain as someone's stray elbow struck her face. Her tiny form was sent reeling backwards from the force of it. Hisana stumbled backwards out of the crowd, clutching her swelling nose. Blood gushed freely from it, running over her mouth and chin, staining both her clothes and the wooden floor. She winced as she saw the path of the stream. Madame would not be pleased. The doors slid shut despite the protests of the screaming souls, pleading with the fortunate few on the lifts to save them. Those fortunate few did not give a damn about the other souls left to die in the fire.

"The stairs!" someone shouted.

The clamor of voices joined in, screaming, "The stairs! Quick, to the stairs! To the stairs!" It was a mass exodus as people ran left and right, crowding into the small stairwell. It had not been designed for many people, so their was overcrowding and stagnation that kept most of the souls jammed packed in the tiny space. Few would make it out alive.

She knew better than to got there. It would not bode well for her. She would be stuck at the top and burn. No, Hisana could think of one better, something that very few souls would think of. The dumbwaiter. Very few people could fit inside of it, and even fewer would think to use it. Pivoting on her bloodstained heel, Hisana galloped like a deer to the wall opposite the stairwell. The dumbwaiter was next to the lower elevator shaft, so one could travel up to the higher levels and bring food to the guests.

Lifting up the door, Hisana hiked her kygnee up to her chest in a very unladylike way in order to climb. It was a tight squeeze for even someone as tiny as her. Her knees were tucked under her chin in a most painful way. Her feet were turned in unnatural ways, straining the tendons. Her legs shook in agonizing pain, as smoke clouded the tiny hole in the wall. One arms was shoved behind her body, and it had fallen asleep from the absence of blood. The other was above her head, pressed firmly against the ceiling. It was a seven minute ride to the bottom floor, and it was excruciatingly painful for Hisana.

When the dumbwaiter jolted to the bottom, she moved like never had before. It took inhuman strength--strength that she never before possessed--to elbow the door into splinters. She fell out of the dumbwaiter's crevice and landed on the floor with a cry of agony. Her vision swam as she lie on the floor. The fire was swiftly spreading; it was nearly upon her. The screams of the tortured souls echoed loudly in the night air. Many dozens tonight were burning to death. People with friends, families, loved ones, all of whom would never seen them again. It was sickening for Hisana to even think about it. The disheartened cries made her want to roll over and let the oblivion take over her.

But she could not. If she allowed herself to pleasure of sleep, then she would surely die. Self-preservation was always first in the Rukongai. Groaning as sharp pains shot up her arm, she shakily got to her wobbly knees. She did not have long before unconsciousness claimed her. SHe had to get moving.

Outside souls were running right and left in panicked frenzy. People were still rushing out of the bathhouse. Some jumped from windows, even those far off the ground, in hopes of landing safely on the ground. Wives and husbands pushed and shoved their way through the foray, trying to find their families. They shoved souls heedlessly aside in search of their beloveds, sometimes shoving someone back into the fiery inferno. The citizens of the tenth district rose to the occasion well. Buckets of water were thrown on the burning house as people tried to systematically put it out. They knew it was to no avail, however. She ran past them all, not seeing anything. Her heart raced. She just wanted to get out of there and pass out somewhere mildly comfortable.

"Move!"

"It's coming down!"

"Get out of the way!"

"MOVEEEEEEEEE!"

People were screaming for everyone to move. Souls ran again in crazed desperation. Hisana blinked. Her sluggish mind was having trouble processing it all. Turning, she let her eyes rest of the fiery ball. Her mouth dropped and her shoulders slumped in defeat. The bathhouse was falling to the ground. She turned around to run, but could not find the strength to do so. Her limbs weighed as much as lead, and her eyes were like blankets. She could barely unfold them. Picking up one foot was too much trouble. It was very clear that she was not going to get away from the flames. If she was going to die, she might as well die peacefully.

Her legs were failing her. She was going to die of smoke inhalation, preferably. Quick and easy, no pain what so ever. Hisana could live with that.

"What are you doing?" someone shouted at her. "You can't just give up now! Come on, Hisana. Get up!"

He was yanking her to her feet. Puling her along through the swirling mass of screaming souls. He was undeterred by the panic and confusion. He was as solid as a rock while the others were screaming and raving as they faced the grim reaper. He was pulling her along in between the frantic crowd until they reached the alleyway beside the bathhouse. Takari dropped her to the ground.

"Ah!"she cried out when she landed on her knee wrong. Glaring up at the man as she clutched her throbbing joint, "That hurt!"

The tall man did not seem to care. He offered a hand to his beloved fiancee who was perched on a rotting wooden box. Kaeko stood up hurriedly, though she did accept his hand. Shooting him an agitated look at the sight of her friend sitting injured on the ground, she smiled warmly at Hisana.

For once, Hisana seemed to have her wits about her. "You didn't wake me up!" she cried. "You're supposed to be my best friend and you left me there to rot!" Hisana's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "You set the fire! And--" she cried out, enraged, "You left me there to burn!"

"We didn't realize it would spread that fast," Takari muttered underneath his breath.

Kaeko smacked his arm lightly. "Don't say that," she giggled. "We are sorry about that, hun," she said to Hisana gravely. Giving her a helping hand up, she explained, "We're running away,"

"What?" Hisana exclaimed. Abandonment forgotten, she clutched her friend's fingers tightly. "You're running away?"

Kaeko bobbed her head furiously. "Yes. Madam sold my contract to Adamante-sama in the eighth district. I don't want to be sold to that creep!" she cried out desperately! "You know the rumors about his place! You know them!"

Hisana nodded. "Of course I do! No one wants to go to him!"

"We're running," Takari stated the obvious. "Tonight. Now, Kaeko." He grabbed her arm.

"Hisana, come on," Kaeko shouted. "This is our chance. Let's go!"

"I can't go," Hisana yelled back. She wrenched out of her friend's stony grasp. "I've still got tenure! I can't leave, not when I'm so close to getting Rukia back!"

"No you're not" Kaeko broke away from her adoring fiance. "You've got years left until your contract is up."

"That's not very long for a dead person!" she retorted back. "I have to get my sister back! You know that! Go! While you still have the chance!" Hisana screamed.

"Let go of me, Takari!" Kaeko shook off her man. He stepped back and glared at the rest of the world, particularly, the annoying love of his undead life. "We'll find your sister together, Hisana. Listen to me. This is it, our chance. Our only chance, Hisana. We have to go now."

"Then go," Hisana frustratedly yelled back. "Run as fast as you can and don't look back."

"Please," begged Kaeko as tears ran out her eyes, "Come with us. Please, Hisana. Before she sells you, too,"

"She won't sell me," Hisana argued. "We made a deal."

"You can't trust them. Rich people are all the same!" Kaeko shot back.

"I have to trust her, Kaeko. It's the only chance I have. Now, run!"

"I ain't leaving yo-----"

"KAEKO!" Takari screamed loudly. The beautiful girl turned to yell at the man standing a few feet away from her. Any reprimand was silenced by her cries of shock and pain as a large beam fell on her. There was a sickening sound as bones broke and flesh was torn. Her legs twitched a moment as her entire body convulsed. She gasped out in pain, but couldn't form the words. She was in agonizing pain.

"Kaeko!" Takari was by her side in an instant. His fingers were laced under the large beam. Pulling with all of his might, he tried to free his beloved. "Hang in there, Keko. Hang in there," he told her. Grabbing a hold of her wrists, Hisana pulled her out from under the smoldering beam that Takari lifted with all of his might.

"I've got her!" she screamed to the man.

Takari dropped the heavy thing. Dropping to his knees, he pulled Kaeko tight against his chest. He whispered her name over and over again, calling out to her. He begged her to stay with him, to not leave. He couldn't bear it if she died. Kaeko. Kaeko. Kaeko. He called out with her, pleading with her to fight for her life. She was strong, she was tough. They were going to run away, and start a brand new life together, one full of love and happiness. "Please don't leave m," he whispered into her ear, "Please. I need you Kaeko, I need you. Please, don't leave me. I love you,"

"Ugh…" Kaeko groaned. "Takari,"

He wept in relief. "Yes, Kaeko. It's me, I'm here."

Blood slowly started to trickle out to the corner of her mouth. "Takari…" she whispered. "I love you,"

"I love you, too, Beautiful," he answered her softly. "With all my heart,"

"Take…" she gasped out, "Take Hisana and run."

"What?" he cried out. "No! I'm not leaving you here!"

The girl was foolish. She still wanted to get her friend to safety, despite the fact that the girl had no intention of going. Kaeko was laying broken on the ground, and still pleading that her friend be spared. While touching, it was out of place on the dusty streets of the Rukongai, therefore making it useless. She should have behaved as any other soul would, and thought only of herself. Only a simpleton put others first.

"Takari," Kaeko gasped in pain. "I'm…my…I can't walk, Takari. I can't move. The wood…it's done something. I'm going to die soon, I think. Take Hisana and run. You both still have a fighting chance," she argued in deep breaths. "Please," she added in a barely audible whisper. Wood was raining down from the sky. It was all smoldering, the flames barely visible yet still deadly. The heat was overwhelming, and the charred air was impossible to breath. Neither Takari or Hisana noticed it due to the fact that Kaeko kept them enraptured. "Don't…fight…me on this…Takari…"

Kaeko succumbed to the oblivion of unconsciousness. She had always been a frail girl. Hisana rose from her kneeling position beside the grieving couple. Jumping out of the way of the falling debris, she took a step towards the end of the alley. "Take Kaeko, and run as fast as you can. Get her to your uncle or someone you can trust. Get her fixed and then run." She looked over her shoulder at the man who held on to his life and soul, "Run as fast as you can, like you should have. And what ever you do, don't look back."

Takari nodded his handsome head once. "Be careful," he told her.

"They won't kill me," Hisana answered. With that, she took off running as fast as she could. If she wanted Takari to get her friend to safety, she would have to create a distraction. Kaeko still had a handful of years left on her tenure before she could leave with her betrothed. There would be search parties to make sure that the Madam did not lose any of her property. What she was doing was suicide, but Hisana was confident that the Madam wouldn't let them kill her. She, after all, was property, just like Kaeko. Property was money, and money could never--under any circumstances--be wasted.

Shoving her way through the crowd, Hisana made sure to bump into as many people as possible. The more people who knew that she was running away, the better. She elbowed her superiors, and stepped on the toes of management. It took her nearly knocking Madam to the ground before anyone grasped that severity of what she was doing: running away.

"Stop her!" screamed the aging mistress. "Get her back! Katsumi! Ichihi! Bring her back!" The enraged woman was practically foaming at the mouth. How dare one of her servants dare defy her! How dare the ugly little thing have the gall to run away. Madam was going to get her back, and when she did, she would scar that pretty little face to make her remember just whom she belonged to. She would take away the last thing that made the girl even remotely attractive…she would have nowhere to go after her bondage was complete. Madam would force her to remain in the bathhouse. No matter what.

She heard them following her, but Hisana was not foolish enough to look back. She burst out of the crowd into the clean air. Gasping to catch her breath, her feet moved at their own accord. She could not afford to stop now, not when hell hounds were nipping at her heels. Living on the streets of the upper districts told her how to avoid her pursuers. She darted into an alleyway. She had no idea where it lead, but that didn't matter. She had to keep them following her…keep them moving. If they focused on her, then they wouldn't pay Takari and Kaeko any attention. That was the ultimate goal.

Running. That's what Hisana's life had been reduced to. Pumping her legs, the girl's tiny form flew across the uneven streets, past bodies and garbage cans, over piles of refuse and beneath cracked rooftops. Hisana ran as fast as she could; she had to protect Kaeko. The screams of those still trapped in the burning house echoed in the dark night, reverberating off the orange flames that engulfed the once beautiful house. Through the twists and turns of the streets she lead them on a wild goose chase. They ran in circles, not knowing it. But she did.

Loop after loop, they circled around the bathhouse, inching their way away from it. She didn't want to get to freedom, but she wanted them to think that. Her pace was slowly, but so was theirs. They all were exhausted. Hisana wasn't sure how long it had been since she had spoken with Takari. Surely, she had given him enough time to get Kaeko away. If he was smart, he would take her somewhere far away in the upper districts. Madam would never follow them to such a vile place. Letting exhaustion pull her to her knees, Hisana didn't have enough energy to flinch as the fists descended on her. Her bruised body was soft and supple, taking the blows easily. It would be painful come morning, but all she could focus on right now the fact that her plan had worked. They had gotten away.

Satisfied that she would not make any more attempts to flee, one man picked her up. Slinging her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, he carried her back to the remains of the house. The man's thumping steps jostled her in painful ways, but he did not mind her whimpers of pain. In his mind, she was insubordinate and a slave; her comfort was far from his mind. If anything, he would purposely cause her pain as a punishment for running from the bathhouse in the Madam's time of need. The girl was disgusting, and had no loyalty in her bones. Just like all the other Rukon trash the Madam so generously took under her wing.

"Don't you ever try to run from me again," Madam hissed as the man dropped Hisana at her feet. The Madam's clawed hand snaked into her raven hair, scraping her snowy scalp. Her face was mere centimeters from Hisana's as her large lips curled into a malicious snarl. "You belong to me, filth. Do you understand?" She jerked Hisana forward. The tiny girl yelped in pain, but her mistress did not care. "I own you. I will own you for the rest of your miserable life. You live to do as I say. And if I ever catch you trying to run again, I will cut off your toes one by one so that cannot do more than hobble!"

Madam flung Hisana to the ground. Her talons scraped the back of her head, creating large gashes. Blood frothed from her scalp like tiny geysers, staining the ebony locks red. The impact of her head against the streets cut her bruised cheek. The scratches weren't deep at all, but they ran from her ear to the corner of her chin. Hisana whimpered as she tasted tangy blood in her mouth; she must have bitten it upon impact.

No one gave a damn.

Not even Hisana.

"Is everyone else accounted for?" Madam brusquely asked Tatami, her most trusted manager.

The balding man's eyes swept over the crowd. He did not even attempt the count the ones who worked for a living. They were free souls, only costing him money and wasting precious air. It would be better for his Madam if they all perished in the merciless flames. He quickly counted the faces of the indentured servants: there were fourteen present. Brave souls ensured that everyone escaped the fire alive, that Tatami knew for a fact. That meant that one person was missing. "We're down one," he answered bluntly. He did not bother to keep the displeasure from his voice. He hated the indentureds, knowing that they were crass and uneducated. He never curbed his dislike in front of the Madam; she did not have any partiality to them either.

The aging woman's eyes narrowed until they were slits. "Who?" she seethed out. "Did you count her?" she thrust one bony finger at Hisana, who still lie incapacitated on the ground.

Tatami nodded. "She was the first one I counted,"

"Then, who?" Madam screamed, enrage. "Tell me, Tatami! Who would dare run from me! They know the consequences, and yet they still left! Find them, now! Find them and bring them back so that I might kill them with my own hands!"

"Kaeko is gone," Tatami informed his mistress. Though he loathed the servants with every fiber in his soul, he knew everything about them all. Their hair color, name, age, weight, height--all of it. In case something like this ever arose.

Madam, too, knew her servants like the back of her hand. Whipping around so fast that her silk robe flew above her knees, fanning about her like a lily, she glared at Hisana. "She wasn't running," she snarled. Spittle flew out of her mouth as she seethed, looking at the pathetic girl crumpled up on the ground. "She was just a distraction. It's Kaeko is truly running."

Turning swiftly to face her chief-of-staff, Madam leaned in so close to him that the tips of their noses were touching. "Find her," she hissed, "Now. Bring her back to me unspoiled." To the entire congregation, she announced. "I will kill her myself."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The bathhouse was completely destroyed. That much was certain. The next morning, a large crowd had gathered to observe its smoldering remains. They had lost everything. Everyone who the Madam did not own personally was sent away. That included a distraught Haruhi--Bunko had died in the fire. The fourteen servants that Madam owned, along with Tatami and two other trusted employees, Madam barricaded herself in the kitchens and laundry rooms. It was a miracle that she had built separate ones to accommodate the booming business.

Hisana was put in a makeshift cell, where she would wait out her punishment from Madam. Madam left her tied because she did not trust Hisasna, though she could have. Hisana never had the intention to run away; she just wanted to help her friend. It was wrong because Kaeko belonged to someone besides herself. Hisana knew that she could distinguish the line between what was right, and what her heart told her--she just didn't_ want_ to. So she sat in solitary confinement, content to wait out her sentence and accept whatever horror it was. She knew that Madam would not kill her. She had lost too much money already, and she was not foolish enough to waste more on petty grudges.

It was the evening of the second day when Madam came to her, Tatami at her heels. She scowled at the wraithlike girl. Your sister had always been a scrawny thing, Rukia, but she looked particularly fragile that night. Her eyes protruded ungainly from her face, bulging like those of a bug. Half of her face was swollen from the constant assaults she seemed to end up in. Her skin clung to her skeletal form, translucent like ice. The purples, blues and blacks looked more natural on her body than the whiteness of her dry skin.

Madam stood before her, towering over the girl like a highborn lady. she looked it, too. Dressed in fine silks that somehow managed to escape the fire, she leered speculatively at Hisana. She sized the girl up, looking for a weakness to exploit. The thing was so fragile that it looked like she would break from the tiniest of movements. Perfect.

"I trust you have had time to think about your actions, Hisana," Madam said gravely to the trembling girl.

Hisana bobbed her head furiously. Yes. Yes, she had had plenty of time to sit and stew. She was ready to get the Madam's punishment over with. The waiting was worse than the actual punishment.

Madam leaned forward. Pressing her lips against Hisana's forehead, she cooed, "Tell me, dear child, where Kaeko has gone."

Hisana stiffed at the touch of her lips. A kiss was something intimate and private. She shivered in displeasure at the skin on skin contact. "I don't know where she is," she whispered. That was the honest truth. Hisanahad no idea where Takari took Kaeko. She guessed, but she hoped she was wrong. From the sound of it, Madam did not know that Kaeko was with Takari. That made things slightly easier on Hisana, as long as she did not mention Takari's name.

Madam drew back so fast that it was like Hisana had burned her. Her eyes swirled with blazing rage. Drawing her hand back, she swiped it across her face. Those clawlike nails ripped into Hisana's flesh, viciously tearing lower portion of her face and neck bore four long gashes, each one freely bleeding. Thankfully, they weren't deep enough to be life threatening. Hisana coughed as she tasted her own blood again; it was a taste she was coming to get used to, and that thought was sickening.

"Don't lie to me, you filthy little mongrel!" the Madam roared. "I know you know where she went! Tell me!" She backhanded Hisana. "Tell me!" she demanded.

"I--" Hisana cried out. "I don't know!" she wept. "I don't!" she cried, "Please! Please believe me!"

"Why should I believe you?" Madam roared. She grabbed Hisana chin, forcing the timid girl to meet her eyes. "All you have ever done was lie to me! You tried to run, and you tried to protect your friend. You both belong to me! You are stealing from me by even trying to keep your silence!"

Throwing Hisana's chin, Madam turned on her heel. "Tatami, Neji," she addressed the two men flanking her, "Find out where Kaeko is," she ordered. "I don't care how long it takes, or what you have to do. Just find her,"

"Of course, Madam," answered Neji. He was the muscle of the two.

It was not their fists that they used, but long wooden clubs. The blows hit her at every direction, like the wind, breaking skin and bone. Hisana flinched and screamed originally at the pain. They did not stop their assault. They never would. She didn't know where Kaeko was, and they didn't believe her. It would be an endless cycle until the day she died. That day was fastly approaching. Soon, her cries quieted. There was no point in crying and screaming; it would not halt the blows. She relaxed and let them bounce of her marred skin. She had never experienced anything so painful, but she knew she would survive this. Madam would never loose out on money. Madam was greedy; she'd never loose out on money. That was Hisana mantra that got her through the next several hours.

She lost consciousness sometime in the wee hours of the morning. She couldn't take it any more. Her body was spent and her throat was soar. It hurt just as much to keep in screams as the blows. Everything hurt, and it would never end. Finally, Hisana--the bindings having been cut sometime before--slid out of her chair and collapsed on the floor. She lay there with one eye barely open. She had cracked several ribs, and maybe an arm, if the shooting pain in it was any indication. She was sick and tired of being feeble, and an easily hurt. She didn't like being so weak, but there was nothing she could do.

Just as she was slipping away, Tatami halted Neji. "She's blacking out,"

Neji grunted, "Pathetic,"

"We'll leave her for now. Come, Neji," Tatami ordered as he turned on his heels.

Eyes raking over Hisana's bloodied form, Neji kicked her gut once for good measure. She gasped as the air was forced out of her body. Stomping on her fingers, he relished in Hisana's strangled scream as her four main fingers broke. With that, he stormed away from the sobbing girl. His job was done for the day.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"She doesn't know anything," Tatami declared later in the evening. He kneeled before his mistress. His keen eyes met her own, and the intensity in his gaze did not startle the woman at all. She had known Tatami for years, and could read all of his emotions like they were her own.

"Someone has to know," she snarled back.

"That someone is not here," was the swift retort. "The little tart didn't feel the need to tell anyone where she was going. Hell, she didn't even have the thoughts to bring her friend with her. That girl," he motioned to Hisana's cell far away, "is lying on the floor, beaten to within an inch of her life out of some misguided notion of loyalty. Kaeko didn't spare her a second thought as she ran, and as a result, the little chit is going to die soon from massive internal bleeding."

Madam frowned at the wall, "I should have had someone else besides Neji break her. He's too forceful for delicate little things like her,"

"Be that as it may, the end result would be no different. She doesn't know anything," Tatami argued back. "I don't like servants any more than you do, but we must face the truth. Hisana does not know where Kaeko is, and beating her more would be fruitless. It wastes time, money and manpower,"

Madam nodded her head and slowly exhaled. "You're right. We need to recoup our losses,"

"I have already drawn up several plans that might interest you," offered the aging Tatami. 

Madam held up her hand, silencing him. "No. Get me Yuu. There are faster ways to do this,"

Tatami paled but nodded his head obediently. As he stood, a small, feral smirk splayed across his features. The Madam was pure genius.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

It was only by pure luck that Ukitake happened to walk in with this mysterious Mr. Yuu. The captain walked into the kitchen filled with souls looking at him with restless eyes and tired bodies. They did not seem to have the strength, but they all managed to bow as he walked by them. He was puzzled. Having chosen to not don his shinigami uniform in order to blend in more with the normal crowd, he could not think of reason for them to show such respect. He had visited the Rukon districts many times before, and they were not fold prone to respect. Something was afoot here. There had to be, or else Kuchiki-fukutaicho would not have sent him to this place.

A beautiful woman approached him. Her hair was swept back into a tight bun, exposing her high cheekbones and slanted eyes. He opened his mouth to address her, but she rushed past him. "Yuu-san," she called out to him with a coy smile. Ukitake blinked.

This Yuu-san was a short man, with long black hair and eyes so small they looked like they were shut tight. He looked very intimidating, frightening even Ukitake. He bowed lowed o her, "It's good to see you,"he answered.

"I only wish it could be under better circumstances," she cooed at him. Gesturing around the building, she added, "As you can see, we've come on some hard times,"

Yuu looked around the rooms. He understood exactly what she meant. "You are right. I suppose that this is why you need my expertise."

"I am glad that things are so crystal clear," was the reply. "Come, let me show you the merchandise. Oh," she only then saw Ukitake, "I didn't see you, there. I'm sorry. How may I help you?"

Mr. Yuu walked past them. He knew Madam well enough to know what to do. Madam gave her focus to the white haired man standing before him. Her keen eyes raked over him. He was certainly attractive, and seemed to have no handicaps. A customer, perhaps? 

"My name is Ukitake Jushiro," Ukitake began. His mother had taught him to always know the name of the person whom he addressed.

"I am the Madam of this fine establishment," Madam returned with a stretched smile. She knew that name and did not like where this was going.

That was not a name, but the captain would take what he could get. "I am here at the request of a comrade," he explained. "I'm looking for a small girl, barely taller than a child, with black hair that she keeps braided down her back."

"I know of whom you speak," the Madam told him. "Why do you need her?"

"My friend wishes to make sure that she is all right. They met some weeks ago, and she became very dear to his heart. He was simply making sure that she was satisfied," Which was sort of the truth. Ukitake was not quite sure why Kuchiki had pointed him in this direction. The silent man had not even told him the name of the soul that he had saved from the bandits. It was all very confusing. The man hinted that this Madam before him was breaking Seireitei laws, but nothing specific.

Now, that was quite puzzling. Madam thought back long and hard, trying to remember if Hisana had serviced any shinigami. Those type rarely entered the bathhouse, and when they did, Madam always ensured that they had the best experience possible. That usually met keeping riffraff like Hisana as far away from them as possible. "I don't recall your friend ever meeting Hisana,"

Ukitake immediately knew something was off. The Madam obviously knew who he was, and what he was. She was shifty, and nervous. Her eyes darted around the room, desperate to not tell him where this mysterious person was. She was hiding something big. "He wasn't a customer," he said slowly. The woman's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Ukitake chose his next words carefully. "He met her the night your…bathhouse," he mumbled awkwardly, "was attacked by a rouge group of souls. He saved her from them, and brought her back. He just wanted to make sure that she was happy here,"

"I can assure you, she is," Madam answered cooly.

Ukitake nodded his head, "Perhaps you are right. However, I assured my friend that I would speak with her personally. Where is she?"

"I'm afraid that she's out running an errand right now, and won't be back for quite some time," the Madam sighed regretfully. "Perhaps you could return later on this week,"

"I am busy all this week. Tell me where she is," Ukitake replied. His tone grew less amicable and more threatening. The tiniest slivers of power burned in his eyes, telling the woman that he was losing his patience. Something was definitely out of place, and he was finding himself more alarmed than expected.

Madam floundered for a moment trying to think of the proper way to dislodge him from his goal. Yuu-san appeared out of nowhere. Taking advantage of the silence that hung between them, the Madam sighed in relief when the man threw her a life raft. "I'll take the blonde, the two brunettes and the set of triplets," he informed the woman.

Ukitake watched the woman's face fall. His own eyes widened in alarm when he realized that this Yuu character spoke of people. His blood turned to ice as he watched the two people speak of people like they were chattel. It was sickening. For her part, the Madam felt her heart sink when she heard her friend speak. Not only did the shinigami know that she was breaking the law, Yuu-san only wanted six of her fourteen…She had hoped that he would want more of them.

"I'll give you four thousand for them," Yuu-san said.

Madam shook her head. Her operation might have been shut down after this, but she still knew how to haggle. "Five,"

"Five is too much! I'm taking women here!" the man protested.

"Perhaps, but the triplets are worth at least three together if you take them as a matched set. I could get three-fifty or even four easily for them if I took them to Ayame. Five is generous,"

Yuu looked at his merchandise speculatively. "The blonde's face is marred,"

"Hence the discount on her. I'll give you her for fifty flat, and the brunettes for seventy-five apiece."

"It's the triplets that cost to damn much," muttered the man."

"Its them that you want the most," countered the woman.

Yuu gave her a grim smile. "That's how it always is. Five thousand it is, then,"

Madam snapped her fingers. "Tatami," she called to her faithful employee, "Take Yuu-san to his new girls. Make sure that they are properly packaged,"

Tatami bowed to his mistress. "Of course, Madam. Right away, Yuu-sama. This way please,"

Before she could walk away, Ukitake's hand grabbed her wrist. He jerked her back so that they were almost touching. "Where is she?" he hissed at her. He was suddenly furious on behalf of the depraved souls being sold left and right. It was disgusting to see no regard for human life and freedom. The woman who stood before him was practiced in slavery; she had sold half of her servants at one point or another. "Have you sold her?" he demanded to know. Please, let her not have. Kuchiki-taicho would be furious if something happened to his grandson's savior.

Madam snarled back, intimidated but still vicious. "What's it to you?"

"How much?" he suddenly demanded.

The Madam blinked. "What?" she asked with a shake of her head.

"How much for the girl?" he demanded. "How much?"

"You want her?" the Madam cried in shock. Shinigami looked down on the slave trade. There was no way that one--a captain, no less--would purchase himself one. There had to be some misunderstanding.

"I'm sure as hell not going to leave her here," snarled Ukitake. "For all I know, you'd sell her to the most depraved and vile man in the Rukongai! I will not leave her to suffer that fate!"

"And you'd leave the rest of them?" shot back the Madam. It enraged her to hear this stuck up man act like he knew their world. He was nobility. That much was certain from his name and his poise. He didn't understand the brutality of the world; it was as foreign to him as the human world. He might see it but he never interacted with it, so he could not possibly understand what it was like to forage for a living in the filth.

"Only because I don't have enough money to save them all," he retorted furiously. "But I can save her. Here's a thousand," he said. Pulling out his wallet, he emptied it into the woman's greedy hand. "Now…where is she?" he thundered.

"Neji!" Madam called to her muscleman. "Fetch Hisana and give her to Ukitake-san," she ordered as she scrupulously counted the bills. "He's purchased the twat for much more than she's worth,"

Smirking at the horror on Ukitake's face as Neji carelessly dumped the black and blue girl into his arms, the Madam of the bathhouse said, "Careful with her. She's a slippery one. You can tell she's tried to get away from us before,"

Shaking in rage, Ukitake forced himself to walk slowly out the door. Every shift of his weight made the frail girl groan in pain. Her entire body, it seemed, had been damaged in some way, shape, or form. It was horrifying to think that someone was able to do something like this to another person. Shunpoing as soon as he was far enough away from the skeleton of the bathhouse, he stopped in front of the one person who might be able to take of the girl. It was difficult to knock with her broken body in his arms, but he managed.

Slowly, the door creaked open. Ukitake met his peer's wide eyes and nodded when he pointed to the girl. "I can't think of anyone else who could take her in," he said.

"Of course, Ukitake-san. Bring her in. I'll get the spare room ready,"

Ukitake followed his friend into his house, suddenly very aware that he had just changed this poor girl's life and everyone else's without thinking. Hopefully, everything would turn out all right.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

**AN: Hey guys. Here's the third chapter. I told you, it would be picking up. And guess what? We're finally out of the Rukongai. But don't worry. I promise that this story is going to be different from anything you've ever read about Byasana. At least, I've never read anything like this on the internet, but I'm not one who reads a lot of fanfiction. Please read it and review it. I love you all and hope you enjoyed it. **

**P.S. We just got a new baby kitten. She loves the computer almost as much as I do. In fact, her favorite pass time seems to be sitting on my laptop when I'm trying to type. As such, she leaves such sweet messages. Here's what she wrote to you all:**

_XCCCCCCLa;0000000000000bn_

_/SDD II 00000000987_

_.;;;;'[nn[ P_000ghr5gg===nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnbmkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkjgyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyygyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy_

_88\ty2]18888888888888888888888srrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr267r7d676666666666666d_

_ew3444444-0098_

''''''''''''''''''''""""_._

_u7 0po5ΩππππππΩ o_

_98hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh_

_b_

''_kprrrrrr grtg`22222222222_

**From Pixie with much love!**


	5. Acoustic 3

**AN: I've bumped up the rating. I think I'm going to throw a lemon in here. But it won't be for a while. **

Chapter Four--This One's for the Girls

Everything hurt. But what else was new? She had gotten used to aching joints and pounding headaches. She was accustomed to the tight muscles and sore limbs. Such was the life of a woman who worked hard, and she was content with it. She'd had worse. Or…at least…she'd thought had, until she tried to move. Then the world exploded into pain that she had never felt before. A soundless cry fell from her lips as her swollen eyes opened.

Immediately, she snapped them shut. They were swollen and blackened. It hurt to open them to let the light in, the light that had been too bright. It made her head ache from the glowing intensity of the world. So very gingerly, she lifted her hand. Her arm hurt from tensed muscles and bruised skin. Two taped fingers glazed over her face. Her eyes felt the coarse bandages, but her fingers felt nothing. She couldn't tell if her face was only swollen, or if there was more to it. Scratches, cuts…broken facial bones? Hisana had no idea just how damaged her body had become; it was possible that Madam had crippled her in someway so that she could never leave again. Hisana found her heart falling into her stomach. If she was crippled, she could never find Rukia and apologize.

There was the sound of the wooden scraping the floor: a door opening. She wanted to open her eyes and greet whoever had tended her wounds, but was afraid of the pain. It was excruciating. Though she could not look at the soul who's feet padded on the floor, she could give them a sign to let them know she was conscious.

"Heh…" she gasped out through tight lips. "Hel--hello…" she forced her mouth to move. Her tight lips immediately stretched too far and cracked. She felt the warm blood trickle down her chin, giving her some feeling.

"You poor thing," a deep voice said. "Don't strain yourself too much."

It was a man's voice, deep and throaty. Hisana unwillingly tensed her entire body. Pain shot coursed through her, electrifying every part of her body. She gasped in pain and her eyes opened accidentally. A man's face was the first thing she could see, the only thing she could see. The lines were blurred and faint, the colors mixed together. Hisana shut her eyes tightly and reopened them, blinking rapidly despite the pain. She wanted to focus on the man's head. He had saved her, somehow that was clear. He was too clean to be part of the Rukongai. Madam would never spend so much money on a hospital, not when Hisana deserved her punishment.

"It's okay," he whispered. "Don't be afraid. You are safe here. No one is going to hurt you," he promised her.

"Y--Wh--Ugh…" she moaned out. "Name…" 

He gave her the softest of smiles. "Isshin Kurosaki," he told her. "I'm from the Seireitei. Who are you?"

"Hi…" she hissed out, "Hisan––––Hisana Rei…ko,"

"Good morning, Hisana Reiko," replied Isshin Kurosaki. "Rest now. Like I said, you are safe here. Nothing is going to happen. Concentrate on getting well," 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The days blurred together. At first, she could not stay conscious for long periods of time. Normally, if she awoke, Isshin came to see her. Every once in a while, it was a sweet looking woman with dark hair. Miyako, as she had introduced herself, said she worked with Isshin in the Seireitei. That was where she was. A captain had brought her to Isshin and ask that he watch over her until she got well. Her mind reeled, trying to find both men's angle. No one ever did anything in life for free, and she was terrified of what they would ask in return.

Before she knew it, two weeks had passed. Her bruises had faded to sickly yellows and marring greens, turning her entire body into a patchwork quilt. With the help of patient Isshin, she took her first steps. She only made it a few feet before her legs collapsed underneath her, but it was a start. She had never met someone kinder than the loud, eccentric man. He was incredibly good natured, never rushing her or prodding about her past. He accepted his comrade's story and never once did he pry any further. He followed the doctor's instructions to the letter, going as far as to have one of his female subordinates help her bathe. Hisana had never been pamper before, and felt extraordinarily uncomfortable. Such lavish treatments should have been reserved for high born ladies and beautiful princesses, not some homely little cretin like herself. If she voiced such thoughts, she was quickly reprimanded and her value as a living person was reaffirmed.

The first time she dined with Isshin Kurosaki was quite the experience as well. Miyako, who seemed to be her primary caretaker and Isshin's left hand, escorted her to the dining room. Hisana had just finished bathing. Her hair was pulled back with a beautiful comb of ivory, and it was the most exquisite thing Hisana had ever seen. Isshin gave it to her in her second week there, saying that something pretty would make her feel better. She had cried and pleaded and begged him to not go to such expense on her part, but he was insistent. He wanted her to have it, and ever since, Hisana had treasured the simple comb more than anything else in the world. Her kimono was fresh, borrowed from Miyako, and her face had the lightest coat of makeup so that her disfiguring bruises were masked.

Hisana had never felt more beautiful in her entire life.

"There you are!" Isshin exclaimed with the exuberant joy of a child when he saw her. "Up and about at last! It's good to see that you are finally feeling better,"

Hisana flushed and lowered her eyes. "I am forever indebted to you, Kurosaki-sama."

"Forget about it," Isshin said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "We take care of each other. That's what people do."

"Still," Hisana murmured, "I shall repay you, good sir. I assure you, that I am yours until the debt is absolved."

"Hisana," Isshin was suddenly very grave. He titled her chin up with his finger, "I do not want to own you. Despite what you think, slavery is very, very wrong, and I won't have you thinking of yourself in such a way. You are a person, like me, and you deserve to be treated as such."

"You are too kind, Kurosaki-sama," Hisana whispered. Translucent tears shone in her ugly blue eyes. For once, her gaze was slightly hopefully and not fearful. Something inside her told her that this man meant what he said, that he would not hurt her. She thankful. It was exhausting to be constantly alert and on guard, waiting for the unexpected attack that could end her. It was nice to know that she could be with someone who she might be able to trust someday.

"That's another thing," the raven haired man told her with a firm, but gentle smile. "No more of this Kurosaki-sama. My name is Isshin," 

"Isshin," Hisana tested out the new name. It did not have the type of reverence that she thought it should, but it was his house that she was in, and, as such, she needed to respect his wishes. "Very well, Isshin," she repeated. It was a heavy name, hard to wrap her tongue around. It would take some time to get used to it.

"Isshin," she tried again. This time, it felt more natural. When she looked at him and said it, something sparked inside of her. She knew that she was where she was supposed to be. This man was sent to her to be her protector. Hisana did not know how she knew that, she just did. Instinct told her to shun him and run away; there was no one in the whole world who she could trust. In the end, they all would leave her. Isshin would leave, the voice said. Like everyone else. Like Kaeko. Like Hisana had left Rukia. Her face contorted in pain, and she knew, she could not trust Isshin. She could never trust anyone.

"Hisana," Isshin rushed to her. Her knees were shaking, and about to collapse. He wrapped an arm around her waist. "You're hurting," he told her. "Miyako," he told his fourth seat, who hovered near the door anxiously. "Get Hisana a cushion so she can sit,"

The pretty woman bobbed her head. A moment later, she was fluffing a navy pillow and placing it at the table. Isshin helped the abused girl limp over to it. He set her down gently.

"Feeling better?" he inquired about her misinterpreted pain.

Lips pressed tightly together, Hisana could barely nod. Isshin watched her with suspicious eyes, but did not press her. He would always respect her privacy. Both he and Miyako disappeared for a moment. They returned with steaming bowls of soba, and drinks.

"Are you sure you won't join us, Miyako?" Isshin was asking the woman. "We would love to have your company," 

"I won't intrude, Captain," Miyako answered. "Besides, Kaien is waiting for me."

Isshin's dark eyes lit up. "I see," he teased. "We would not want to keep our love struck lad waiting, now would we?"

Miyako flushed a lovely pink. "Oh, Captain!" she cried. "You're embarrassing me,"

"Go on, Miyako. I'll put Hisana to bed,"

"Thank you, Captain," Miyako said. She placed Hisana's bowl in front of her, and with a quick smile, rushed out of the house. Hisana watched her retreating form with great interest.

"You'll have to forgive Miyako," Isshin said as he took his place. "She has a date tonight with a boy from the thirteenth division."

"A date?" Hisana inquired.

"You know," Isshin stated, picking up his chopsticks. "When a boy and girl go out together,"

"Oh," Hisana said slowly. "You mean that they are betrothed,"

"They're not quite that far along yet," Isshin said mirthfully, "They are trying to find out if they would like to become betrothed,"

"I do not understand," Hisana said slowly. "In Inuzuri, one did not 'date'. You were either betrothed or married. There was no stage leading up to it."

"That is true in the Rukon districts because there marriage is more for survival than it is for love. In the Seireitei, where times are not quite so severe, people have the luxury of falling in love. People might go on hundreds of dates before they fall in love and get married," explained Isshin. "You'll come to understand it in time,"

"Why?" Hisana asked, truly perplexed. Dating was something so foreign she would rather not have anything to do with it. All she wanted to do was find Rukia and continue living her life. She doubted that she would ever marry because she committed such an appalling sin.

"Well, I don't expect you to stay locked up in the house forever. After a while, I think you will get bored and want to see the world," he said.

"When do you wish me to leave?" Hisana muttered quietly.

Isshin sighed. "You can't mistake everything I say as an order or me telling you to leave. You are welcome to stay here as long you so wish, Hisana. I was simply saying that I thought you might get bored staying inside everyday. The Soul Society is not like the Rukongai. We are safe here, and no one will take advantage of you. You can walk around free without any care. And, one day, when you are out enjoying your life, some boy might catch your eye. I want you to be aware so that you can have your own family one day,"

She wanted to tell him that she already had a family, and threw it away, but she did not. He would discard her if he knew of her cowardice. Despite his exaggerated behavior, she was quite fond of the perky man, and found his home comfortable. She would happily conduct her search for Rukia from here. In exchange, she could cook and clean for him. That was something she was very good at.

Instead, she batted her eyelashes and whispered thanks.

He offered her a warm smile, "Don't mention it. I've been lonely anyways. It'll be good to have someone else in the house,"

"Your daughter, Miyako, seems to visit frequently," Hisana stated. She was very curious about this strange man and his life. She wanted to get him talking and learn all she could. Thus far, the Seireitei was an interesting place.

Isshin choked on his tea, and Hisana knew that she said the wrong thing. Face flushed, she tried to rush out her apologies, but Isshin was too busy cleaning himself up to hear them. "She's not my daughter!" he laughed with a cherry red face. "As far from it as possible, in fact!" he added with a booming laugh. "No, Hisana. Miyako is my subordinate,"

"Is that another term for servant?" she inquired as politely as she could. Hisana did not like the idea of the man having one. How could she ever begin to make reparations if he already had a staff employed?

"No, no," Isshin laughed again and shook his head. "You really need to get your mind out of the Rukongai. Like I said, slavery is outlawed here. I know you said servant, but you thought slave! Naughty, naughty!

"No, dear Hisana. Miyako is her own free person. She just happens to be my fourth seat in the Seireitei"

"I think I understand," Hisana replied. "She is employed by you outside the household,"

Isshin nodded his head. "It's a little more technical than that, but we'll go with that for now."

The growling in her stomach made her face flush a bright red. Ever since she had come to this paradise, she did not once go to bed hungry. It was both luxurious and embarrassing. She protested at first, saying that there was no way she could indulge in such lavishness, but Isshin was persistent. He force fed her the first night, and now Hisana enjoyed the extravagant food everyday. It was very gluttonous of her.

Just as she was dipping her chopsticks into the wheat noodles, the wooden sticks fell out of her grasp. They clattered loudly on the table. Her face flushed cherry red with embarrassment. She had to use her left hand until her fingers on her right hand healed. Her left was not as dexterous, making even the most menial tasks difficult.

Isshin watched her with scouring eyes, but did not stop spooning his meal into his gaping mouth. It was disgusting that one man could eat so much so quickly. Aware of his watchful gaze, and determined to not be outdone, Hisana grabbed at her utensils with surprising viciousness. She squeezed her fingers together as hard as she could, and scrunched her eyes with concentration. She could do it; all she needed was a bit more forcefulness. Smiling widely, Isshin watched his ward regain her self confidence and independence.

With a triumphant shout, Hisana scooped a single noodle into her mouth. At last! She was victorious! Almost instantly, her eyes began to water and her mouth dropped open. Isshin watched with one eyebrow raised. Hisana's taped hand fanned desperately at her mouth, as she exclaimed as best she could without moving her tongue. "Hot! Haut! Hot!"

Hands flapping wildly, the sleeve of her kimono flew over the table, knocking over her glass of water and her bowl. Too busy too notice until the water ran onto her, Hisana shrieked and quickly stood up. Only, her knees caught the edge of the table, flipping it over. Food flew everywhere as the dishes and cups clattered to the floor, spreading the mess and staining the tile. In her haste to stand, Hisana forgot that she was injured. Her knees knocked together as she buckled forward. Her bruised body hit the floor with a solid thump, but Hisana's cry of pain was muffled as she swallowed the singular noodle.

Still kneeling, Isshin Kurosaki surveyed the damage with great surprise. His dining room normally looked like this after he went out partying with Kisuke, Jushiro, and Shunsui. It would take his poor maid ages to clean this up--it wasn't that he was lazy, but Isshin just didn't know _how_ to clean. "Well," he said at last to the girl. She looked at him with terrified eyes, wide with unshed tears; her pink lips trembled. "I think it's safe to say that you are the most accident prone person I have ever met, Hisana."

At the look of indignant shock on her battered face, Isshin could hold back his laugh no longer. A deep belly laugh that shook his entire body in a painful manner coursed through him. He fell back onto his butt as he laughed, clutching his sides for support. Opaque tears rolled down his cheeks at the hilarity of the situation. Hisana watched with pursed lips, unsure of how to respond. The man baffled her at every opportunity. Eventually, as laughter is often contagious, Hisana's own bell-like laughter joined in with Isshin's. They had a very nice harmony, in Hisana's opinion.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

It was late at night. She lay in the bed that was too plush for her own tastes, too soft and warm to be real. Her hair had been cleaned that very morning, fanned out around her. She had not realized how long it had gotten in the past few months. The ends were ragged; she would have cut it already if she had not been afraid of offending her benefactor. Isshin often told her that she had beautiful hair. Hisana did not want to chance his ire by cutting it without his permission.

She tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Her ugly blue eyes stared at nothingness, willing her body to sleep. She knew that she needed her rest in order to return to health, but it seemed like all she did was rest. She was bored, full of energy, and restless, something that was never a good combination. There was no indication as to the time, not that it would do her any good. She had all night to lay there, begging for sleep to overcome her. Back at Madam's bathhouse, if she could not sleep, Hisana paced until she could walk no longer. Sleep always came soon afterwards. That was not an option, however. Not now. Isshin had to go to work in the morning, and needed his sleep. She could not wake him up for any circumstance.

She lay there for an indeterminable time, before it hit her. Like a waterfall, she felt it. Lip bit, Hisana willed her body to relax and ignore the need. It did little good. The more she tried to not think about it, the more she did. Lip bit and legs clamped tightly together, Hisana urged sleep to come even more. Of course, her cries were once more ignored. The universe rarely seemed to listen to her demands.

Hisana knew that she had to go the bathroom, but fear plagued her mind. She risked disturbing Isshin. More importantly, she had yet to walk unassisted anywhere since first coming to Isshin's home. She might fall and injure herself more. That was unacceptable. Still, the urge did not dissipate. She was going to have to chance it.

With a groan of annoyance, Hisana pushed back the warm, thick sheets. Never had the night air felt so cool against her exposed skin. Warily, she touched one bare to the icy wooden floor. A chill ran up her spine at the direct conflict of temperature, but other than that, she seemed to be fine. Daringly, she put a little bit more weight on it, and found that it did not hurt. Both feet planted firmly, Hisana pushed up with her arms, lifting her entire body into the air. She winced as she stood erect. The pain was there, but it was not unbearable. Her entire body no longer felt like it was on fire; it was more of an aching sore now.

Oh so carefully, Hisana took one step. She stumbled slightly and had to catch herself on the wall. Breathing heavily, she gathered up her courage and took the next step. Her left leg was stronger than her right; she only needed to brace herself on her right foot. Hands sliding along the wooden wall until she reached the bathroom, Hisana quickly relieved herself while making as little noise as possible. It took her some time, but she was thankful that she was able to do it alone. Having Miyako hovering around her was painfully embarrassing.

She had to repeat the process to get back to her room. It was a tiring process, long and drug out, but she managed. Hisana collapsed back onto her bed with a sigh of relief. Her eyes shut softly and sleep immediately claimed her.

She fell asleep with a soft smile. She had taken her first steps…

It took a long time for the girl to completely recover. The bruises disappeared after a fortnight with Isshin. The swelling and the cuts quickly followed. Soon, only her bandages holding the broken bones were left. Those would not come off for quite some time. Until then, Hisana had to contend with being predominately left-handed. Her progress astounded Isshin. The short time in which she progressed defied medical law. Her first steps on those shaky, little, chicken legs should have taken her weeks; instead, she conquered it in days. Her resolve was unparalleled when it came to training her left hand to function, and with every spasm and fumble, her determination to become well again grew.

"What are you doing?" the now familiar voice of Captain Isshin Kurosaki broke through her thoughts.

Hisana turned around, blinking her doe-like eyes owlishly. In her hands, she held the wooden spoon that Isshin always used when making soup. She had not thought that she was overstepping any boundaries by getting started on dinner early. The Seireitei captains were going through a particularly difficult time––she could not understand any of it––and Hisana wanted to lessen her benefactor's burden. The captaincy weighed heavy on his shoulders. His movements were slower, more sluggish, and his eyes were rimmed with dusky shadows. He was exhausted.

"Making supper," she answered. "Is that okay?" 

"No! You're still recovering from the bathhouse! You could reopen your wounds or pull something!"

"I'm fine," she answered. She gave him a grin, pleased with his concern. "I've worked with much more grievous injuries. Besides, someone needs to do it, and I don't like the idle time I have on my hands,"

"What if you had fallen and knocked your head?" Isshin demanded. "I might not have found you for hours. What then, Hisana?"

"I did not think I would faint," Hisana retorted with some heat.

"That's exactly my point. What if you cracked your head open? You might have died before I found you. You need to start thinking. This house isn't stuffed to the brim with servants bustling around. When you are here alone, I expect you to act with a modicum of responsibility."

"I am not some porcelain doll, meant to be kept on a shelf," Hisana snapped back. "It takes more than the wind to break me,"

"Please," he told her softly, calmly, gravely. "Wait just a little longer. I want you to be fully recovered from the abuse before you move around. I don't want you to hurt yourself further," he explained. "I like having you around. You sure as hell make down time interesting. But I don't want you to be hurt forever."

"I am sorry, Isshin," Hisana flushed. "I had not thought of it like that. I apologize. I just wanted to help you and ease your burden. Work has been trying on you these past few days, and I thought that I might help you with the simplest of tasks. I know my body, and I promise you, I never pushed myself beyond my limits. Don't worry about me hurting myself. I'm too smart to do that,"

Isshin held his arms open. With a soft hesitance, Hisana stepped into his embrace. He gingerly wrapped his arms around her, making sure to not apply too much pressure to her back. "I know, Hisana. I just worry.

"Besides," he added as she stepped out of his hug, "It's for my own benefit. Looking at your battered face…no offense, but it's kind of ugly."

"Isshin!" Hisana cried. She laughed, however. Appearances never meant much to her, and it was common practice to jest about them. She was not offended, but only pretended to be. With a peal of laughter, she turned her back to the boiling stew. Grinning, she stirred it and hummed while Isshin glared at her. Hisana fought to keep in a laugh. He actually thought that she would listen to him. If he did not own her, she had no reason to obey his every whim. Besides, his cooking was not good. It was sad when Hisana's meager preparations were tastier.

"How far into cooking are you?" Isshin asked her.

"Not very," she sheepishly admitted. "I had to clean your kitchen before I began to make anything,"

Isshin looked around the room. "I can see that. It is much cleaner than it was when I left this morning. It is probably the cleanest this room has ever been. Looking," he cracked a wide grin, "The walls are even sparkling."

Hisana glanced at the walls. "Don't be daft," she told him. "It's impossible for walls to sparkle."

"It was a joke, Hisana," Isshin said as his smile deflated, and Hisana instantly felt bad. She had offended him without meaning to. She thought he was going blind, not jesting. No one ever dared make a joke about cleanliness before at the Bath House. They weren't _that_ dumb.

"I have never heard a joke before when it concerns cleanliness," Hisana informed him with a furrowed brow. Her pretty face looked intently at his, watching for a cue. She needed to know how to respond to such a thing. To do it improperly could be disastrous. When he looked blankly at her, Hisana explained. "It was a forbidden to even jest about something so serious. Madame demanded we keep the facilities beyond reproach," she tried to explain it without giving away too much information.

"How boring," Isshin declared. "You probably could not joke about a lot of stuff!"

"Not really. No," Hisana shook her head. "It was a fairly serious environment. Sure, we learned how to get around it, but we had to be extremely careful."

"Let's go out, tonight," Isshin declared. He was eager to change the subject. Besides, it would be nice to keep the kitchen this spectacular for a while. "I know a quaint little tea house down the street. You will love it!"

Hisana glanced at the boiling water. "What about the soup?" she asked him. "I don't want to waste it."

"Just put it in the fridge," he told her with a wave of his hand. "It'll keep,"

"Oh," Hisana said. This fridge was a new thing to her, and it was quite fascinating. It kept food very cold for very long periods of time. It must have been something mortal, because she had not seen them in the bathhouse. They used large blocks of ice to keep food cold. There rarely was left over food, however.

"Come," Isshin took her hand. "This will be fun," 

"If you say so," Hisana said softly. As he pulled her out the door, she realized that all she ever did with Isshin was eat. The man sure could put food away…


	6. The New Girl in Town

Chapter Five––New Girl in Town

"Who is that?"

"She looks so familiar!"

"Are you kidding me? She's a commoner!"

"She's hideous!"

"She's a lieutenant,"

The whispers were everywhere. How could they not be? Hisana Reiko, Lieutenant of the Third Division, had appeared suddenly in the world. She had come from nowhere, not even in the Academy was she renown, yet she found herself one of the highest seats in the Gotei. A few people knew her as Captain Kurosaki's adopted daughter, and made the connection between the two events. They knew that Hisana did not deserve her spot in the Gotei 13, that it had been awarded to her because she cared for the addled man. Others thought that she must have been a true prodigy. To go from a nobody to a lieutenant was a praiseworthy feat. She deserved to be rewarded for her hard work. They smiled at her, where proud of her. It was good to see someone who deserved it succeed.

Hisana walked down the paved road, humming. She held several scrolls in her arms. They were to go to the Twelfth Division; Captain Urahara and his staff needed them for a secret project. Isshin and the blonde scientist were teaming up against Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake for revenge. A prank war between the four had started several years prior, and was still going full swing. She had been caught in the cross fires more than once, and was glad to see the two kind but relentless captains get their lunch handed to them. Her skin was still purple from last week's attack. Revenge was sweet.

Shuhei Hisagi followed her like a shadow. He was Isshin's new fourth seat after Miyako transfered to Ukitake's division. She dutifully followed Kaien like any wife would. Hisagi was one of Hisana's closest confidants, but his continuous presence did grate on her nerves at times. Luckily, this was one of those times that she was not annoyed with the male race, so life was good for all of them.

"She told me to call her if I ever felt like hooking up again," Hisagi was telling her, "But I don't think so. She was not that good looking,"

"Lovely," Hisana waved brightly at Rangiku Matsumoto. "Don't then, if you don't want to." She squinted off in the distance. A familiar ebony haired man was escorting an elderly captain to his division. Her heart beat quickened in adrenaline. It was him.

"It wasn't even that good," Hisagi wrinkled his nose. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it was fine. It just wasn't mind blowing, all out, hard core, you know?"

"Sure," Hisana shrugged her shoulders and looked up at the tall man. She focused on her friend, and not the man she had worked with day and day out for three years. Though he had saved her, and she in turn, saved him, they did not speak. There was no need for them to. There were no debts to be paid, no help to ask for. They stopped existing to each other, and Hisana was perfectly content with that. Every time she was near him, she was afraid that he would speak, that he would let out her secret that she was so desperate to hide. No one in the Seireitei knew her past save Isshin and Miyako. No one else was ever going to know.

He chuckled. "Oh yeah," he smirked. "I forgot that you don't date,"

"No reason to," she quipped back.

"You don't have to date to have sex, you know," he casually told her. Her odd face had turned a flushed hue, and she nibbling on her lip. He made her feel uncomfortable, even if she tried to play it off.

Hisana laughed. "I know that. I'm not an idiot. I just don't have the time,"

"You are a full-time lieutenant," Hisagi agreed, taking pity on her. "That sucks,"

"Isshin needs someone to make sure he doesn't die in his sleep," Hisana agreed. She looked over her shoulder. It was impossible to tear her eyes from him. He was a magnet, pulsating brightly, drawing her to him. She did not know why he called out to her so suddenly, but he did. It must have been the fear, and the adrenaline that accompanied it.

"He did manage to survive for years without you," Hisagi pointed out.

His eyes met hers. Like dark gray daggers, they sliced through her. Recognition flashed brightly in those pretty orbs. Everything about him was pretty, and that aggravated Hisana. He was inhuman, and distant. No wonder so few people liked him. When their eyes met, something was said between them. He wanted to speak with her, Hisana could tell that much. Why, she did not have a clue, but she would not be surprised when he sought her out later on that day.

"Surviving does not qualify as living well. When I came to him, he was eating burnt food off molded plates. That is gross, no matter who you are." Hisana frowned. "Besides, I owe him. He really got me out of a jam,"

"Someday, we are going to sit down over a jug of sake and you are going to tell me what you used to do before you came to the Seireitei," Hisagi told her. "You seem to know a little something about everything and everyone." 

"We'll see," Hisana said softly.

"That's what you always say!" Hisagi whined.

She laughed. "I'm just waiting for that rainy day,"

"It's supposed to rain tomorrow," Hisagi suddenly perked up. "I'll bring the sake and you bring the stories,"

She pursed her lips together. "We'll see," 

"Hisana!" Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Hisagi glanced down at her. He was determined to win. He liked to win, but his surprisingly intelligent lieutenant normally bested him. "If you ever need help with that little dating problem of yours, let me know."

She flushed. "I will after we drink that sake," she promised.

He chuckled. "Can't wait,"

However, Rukia, that is when it all changed. For three years, they had existed silently together. We did not know they had a history, that they were friends. We did not know anything about them. But they both were very, very aware of each other. It was time for them to make a public announcement. By lunch time the next day, Hisagi would have forgotten his promise to Hisana because his world was shattered.

"Excuse me, Lieutenant Reiko," a soft voice called from the front of the division offices.

Steady handed and able, Hisana knelt in the garden. She wore her simple shinigami uniform, and left her hair plaited behind her head. Her hands were thrust into the warm, wet soil that she worked diligently. The flowers in the division garden had wilted during the winter, making the world around it ugly and dilapidated. That would not do. Hisana pulled weeds vigorously, separating the good and the bad. She had helped Ohji occasionally with the Madame's lush gardens. She could fix the division gardens.

Hisana smiled at Saukai. "Hello, Saukai. What can I do for you?"

"Lieutenant Kuchiki is here and requests to meet with you," Saukai muttered. "He is waiting for you in your office,"

"I'll go see him at once" Hisana said with a slight frown. Standing, she smacked the dirt off of her clothes. Straightening her hair, she swiftly hurried into her office. It would not do to keep a fellow officer waiting, especially one that she was so unfamiliar with. She bowed respectfully to him when she walked into the room. "Lieutenant Kuchiki,"

Lieutenant Kuchiki bowed back to her. "Lieutenant Reiko," he paused as he waited for Saukai's footsteps to fade. "I was wondering if I could talk with you for a moment."

"Of course," she said. "Please, sit."

"If it is all right with you, I would rather speak of this matter somewhere more private. I do not wish to be overhead as the subject is quite delicate," Kuchiki told her.

"I can assure you that my office is private," Hisana told him. "But if you wish to relocate, we can."

"As long as you can are certain that no prying ears can overhear us, then your office is a fine place," Kuchiki told her.

Hisana snapped her fingers. Electricity flowed through the room for a moment, before it settled down. The hum of static was still present, however. "I see that you have mastered silent kidos," Kuchiki said as he looked her up and down. Hisana flushed. It was not a look of pleasure, nor was he judging her based on sexual escapades. There was something else, something much more intent and purposeful in that searching look. She was not entirely sure if she met whatever standards he searched so silently for.

She stood before him with a soft smile. "I learned much while I was in the Academy. Isshin and Nanao Ise were kind to me as well, and made sure that I learned as quickly as possible."

Kuchiki nodded his head. "I am glad that you are content with your new life,"

"I am," she gently grinned. "I never thanked you properly for bringing me to Isshin's home. It changed me life,"

Kuchiki looked around the room. "I can see that," he told her plainly. "I am here, Lieutenant Reiko, to have you return the favor."

"Oh really?"Hisana said. "How?" She was willing to help him. She owed him that much. Hisana was not one for leaving debts unpaid. That was something the slick merchants of the Rukongai did, and she was determined to leave her past behind her.

"Marriage," Kuchiki said simply.

"Oh my," Hisana swallowed hard. "I think that this is something we should sit down for,"

Hisana sat down on one side of the desk, Kuchiki on the other. His handsome face met hers, and she did not shy away. She was not the timid little slave anymore that feared his wrath. She too was a shinigami, and a lieutenant. Despite the rumors, she had earned her way to the rank. There was no reason for her to fear.

"It is nothing grave, Lieutenant Reiko," Kuchiki told her. "I find myself the candidate for many noble girls looking for marriage, particularly one girl dedicated blonde. Rather than disgrace my family by rudely ignoring them all, I need a temporary fiancee to dissuade them."

"You want me to pretend to marry you?" Hisana clarified.

"Yes," Kuchiki agreed. "To the rest of the world, we would be engaged. After the interest in the Kuchiki fortune has died down, the engagement will end and you can return to your normal life. You may even publicly jilt me if you wish so that your reputation is not tarnished."

"Why would you think I would agree to this?" Hisana cried. "This is preposterous! Ludicrous! A million things could go wrong!"

"You will help me, Lieutenant Reiko, because I saved your life. You are going to return the favor,"

"Explain," Hisana ordered.

"Even if I am a noble, I do not wish to marry a snot-nosed, crass, uneducated woman who cares more for my fortune and family name than anything else. Each and every single girl my family has thrust under my nose is exactly the same; all they care about is money. I understand that my marriage will be for my family's benefit, not for love. That I can accept. I cannot accept a bride who cannot count past three or one who's greed will bring my family to ruin. Until I can find a suitable match, I need to be off the market to other hopefuls," Kuchiki explained.

"How long?" Hisana asked.

"Not very," Kuchiki said. "A year at most,"

Hisana nodded. "That's good. I don't really have a social life now, anyway. Pretending to be engaged to someone is the exact same thing as not having a man."

Kuchiki nodded. "I am glad that you see things my way."

"Don't get cocky," Hisana told him. "I didn't agree,"

"You have to," Kuchiki said. "I can't ask another girl. You are the only one with a head on her shoulders that will understand that this is just temporary, that this isn't love. Any other girl would fall in love with me, and I don't want that to happen."

"I suppose you wouldn't," Hisana snapped bitingly.

"I am only thinking of the poor girl," Kuchiki told her. "As I have already said, I do not have the pleasure of choosing my own bride. Love will have very little to do with my marriage,"

"I will help you, Lieutenant Kuchiki," Hisana said slowly. "But only because you saved my life. Not because I like you,"

"I do not need you to like me, Lieutenant Reiko," Kuchiki told her. "I simply need you to pretend to,"

"I am an excellent actor," Hisana reassured him. "Don't worry about that,"

"Put this on," Kuchiki tossed her a small box. "We need to make it look official,"

"Oh my god," Hisana whispered. The ring was huge. It probably cost more than she made in an entire year. "How did you know I'd say yes?" she asked him.

"Because, whether or not you realize it, I do know you, Lieutenant Reiko," Kuchiki told her. "I know you very well, in fact." 

"I see," Hisana muttered.

"I will return at seven to take you out to dinner," he told her as he stood.

"Why?" she asked, puzzled.

"As I said, we must make this look legitimate. We shall have to spend a modicum amount of time together. I also must teach you how to behave properly, because currently, you have the manners of goat."

"I am at least pleasant to be around," Hisana snapped.

"Be that as it may, Lieutenant Reiko," Kuchiki began, but Hisana cut him off.

"If we are going to pretend to be in love, then we better revert to a first name basis." Hisana told him. "No one will believe this if you keep calling me Reiko. My name is Hisana, and you are Byakuya. The three times we make a public appearance as a loving couple betrothed, you remember that."

Kuchiki nodded his head. "That is acceptable."

Hisana smiled. "Good. Now, about tonight, I don't know if I can do it. I'm going to have to tell Isshin and he can't take news like this lightly," she explained. "We can start on etiquette next week,"

Kuchiki nodded his head. "I am still taking you out to dinner. Tomorrow then,"

"Tomorrow," Hisana promised. She did not think she would enjoy spending an evening with a stuck up brat, but she was willing. Perhaps he had not changed all that much since the tea house all those years ago. He had been spoiled then, but not degrading. Hopefully, some of those manners were still there.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Isshin did not take the news well. Not at all well. "WHAT?" he screamed.

"I'm marrying Byakuya Kuchiki," Hisana repeated. "He asked me to this afternoon,"

Isshin collapsed in on the couch. He bent his head and cupped it in his hands. "I can't believe this is happening,"

Her heart broke in two. She was causing this wonderful man suffering for nothing. He obviously was against her marrying Byakuya, and she was not sure why. He never did have an affinity for the noble class, but even he made the passing remark that the newest generation was not _quite_ as bad as the others. Sitting down beside him, Hisana gently placed her hand on his back. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I did not know this would cause you such distress,"

"I mean," he interrupted her. Hisana glared and outed. That was irking. "I knew that he was going to ask you. He asked me for my permission last week."

Her mouth fell open. "And you said yes?" she cried. "Why the hell would you do that?"

"I thought that you were going to say no!" he shot back. "I thought you had a better head on your shoulders than to fall for a pretty face! For money! That has to be why you said yes! You have never spoken to him before! You can't be in love!"

Hisana jumped off the couch. "Money?" she yelled. "You think I would marry him for money? Is that all you think of me, Isshin? That I would stoop so low to marry someone because they were better off than me? I would have married you if that were the case! You were single and a hell of a lot better off than I was!"

"Then why, Hisana?" Isshin exasperatedly yelled. "Why would you marry him? Do you love him, really? I mean truly love him. Not some image of a white knight that you have in your head, Hisana. He saved you from the Rukongai, but that does not mean he is a fairy tale prince. He too, is flawed." 

"I know that," Hisana snapped. "Believe me, I know."

"Then why?" he pressed her.

"Because, I owe him a favor," she replied meekly. She glanced at the ground. "He needs me to marry him, and we are quite suited for each other. We got along so well back in the bathhouse,"

"Look at me, Hisana." Isshin took her face in his hands and forced her to look up at him. "You would sell your soul to a man because you owe him a favor? I know I raised you better than that,"

Hisana pulled away from his grasp. She could not take the intensity of his gaze anymore, the pain that screamed down at her. She was hurting him, something she had always avoided. Isshin was her rock, her savior, her best friend. Hisana never wanted to cause him pain. And yet…here she was. "It is more complicated than that,"

"You fell in love with him," Isshin whispered. "All those years ago, at the bathhouse." His voice was soft, but accusing.

"He was arrogant back then," she hissed out through her tears and clenched eyes. "An ignorant shinigami who looked down on us and thought we were trash because he did not understand."

"And you still loved him," Isshin whispered again. The captain had lost his voice, and his sanity. He sat back down on the couch. "You've always loved him. Ever since you have been here, you have loved him."

Hisana sat beside him. She took his hands in her own. "I have loved you more," she fiercely declared. "All of the people in the world, I love you the most." 

"But you will leave me for him," Isshin stated. "Don't cry, Hisana." He wiped the tears away from her face with his thumb. "I told you a long time ago that you would fall in love and leave me. I guess it's finally time for the sparrow to leave the nest."

"I won't be far," Hisana promised. "I won't really leave,"

"I'm not going to hold you back," Isshin told her. "You've got your whole life in front of you. I'm a selfish man, but I'm not cruel. I can't keep an angel to myself,"

Hisana threw her arms around his neck. She softly cried into his shoulder. "This angel is always going to be watching over you. You still need a lot of help,"

"So do the nobles," Isshin told her as he patted her back. He never was very good the whole comforting thing. "You just might be the best thing that ever happened to them,"

"I don't believe that," Hisana sniffed. She was not stupid to think that she could change them. She did not know them, nor did she care to. She wanted to help Byakuya and then be done with it. He did not offer friendship, and she was not foolish enough to seek love. It was a temporary alliance, nothing more. Her brief presence in the Kuchiki clan's lives would not change a single thing.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

She could not sleep that night. She tossed and turned in her bed, feeling sick to her stomach. She had made a grave mistake agreeing to the lieutenant. If she was more courageous, she would go to him the next morning and hand him back his ring. She would tell him that it was over, that she could not lie, that she had more integrity than that. But she was not…and she would not give him back his ring. She would go along with it because she owed him.

It was the very next day that she told me, Rukia. That was the day all hell broke loose.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

"That's impossible! He can't be engaged!"

"That lieutenant?!?!"

"But she's so ugly!"

"You liar!"

"What a bitch!"

"He's mine! How dare she steal him!"

"Since when have they been dating? I most certainly did not hear a single thing about it!"

"That's cause no one ever tells you anything, Miri,"

And so it went. The rumors, the lies, the hate and malice. They all hated her now. She had gone from anonymity to power, and from power to luxury in a few short years. She wasn't even pretty, and yet the world still fell at her feet. Even her original supporters abandoned her in shock and disdain. She was a whore, they claimed. She spread her legs like the rest of the Rukon filth. Even those from the Rukongai turned their noses at her. She thought she was too good for them, after all.

Hisana had never been more lonely in her life.

"I can't believe it," I said as I walked beside her. "I just can't believe it,"

"You don't have to," Hisana said with a shrug. She flinched at a particularly harsh stink eye. "No one else seems to,"

"You can't say you did not expect some hate," I told her. "You just snagged the most eligible man from the market, blind siding everyone else. No one will forgive you for a long time."

"That's not fair," Hisana huffed. "I can't help it that they are also in love with him."

"So are you," I reminded her.

"Yeah," she huffed. "But I have a reason. And," she added triumphantly. "He loves me. So there. They can't have him,"

"Who's him?" Hisagi asked from behind us. Hisana did not jump, but I did. I was still slightly uncomfortable around the gangly, ill-tempered fourth seat. He spent most of his time with Hisana, a terse shadow. He only spoke when spoken too, and his opinions were only intelligible to Hisana. Miyako and I never understood him.

"Byakuya Kuchiki," Hisana responded.

"Oh yeah," Hisagi snorted in mirth. "I heard that he got himself engaged to same poor chit from the Rukongai. Completely unexpected."

"Yeah," Hisana mumbled it was.

"Oh you had to have seen it coming," I told her as I poked her arm. "There's no way it was a surprise."

"It was, actually," your sister admitted as she silently giggled. "Never saw it coming."

"Do you know the girl he's marrying or something?" Hisagi asked us. "Is she a friend of yours,"

"You could say that," Hisana giggled.

I smacked her head lightly. Turning to Hisagi, I shattered his heart. "It's her," I jerked my thumb towards Hisana who was still giggled, but this time, she looked a little bit offended. Not enough to hit me back, however. "He asked her yesterday,"

I watched his heart break in his eyes. It is never a pleasing experience to watch someone realize that they have been nursing a secret crush for a year for nothing. She was out of his reach. "No way," he whispered.

"She truly is," I told him. "The rock is proof enough. It must have cost more than we all make in a year combined."

"You would settle for money?" he asked her. "Money over love?"

"What the hell?" Hisana yelled. "Why does everyone keep saying that I am marrying him for money? I'm not! I am not that shallow of a person! I would marry Byakuya even if he was the poorest pauper to walk the Rukongai! I seem to be the only person who does not care about his money in the whole Seireitei! Maybe that's why it's me he's marrying and not one of those other gold digging bimbos!"

"Geez, Hisana," Hisgai stuttered.

Your sister was too irate to care. "I am not going to stand here and listen to this! I am marrying Byakuya because love him––" Hisana never lied, Rukia. Even I believed her intrepid declaration. I thought that she loved him wholeheartedly. Her ugly eyes were blazing with passion and her mouth was screaming so fast that I could barely understand her. What else could it have been but love? "––and not because I want his money! I am the only person who doesn't want it!"

"Hisana," his voice was calm and cooling, like icy water. We all froze whenever he called her name.

Hisana whipped around. "Byakuya," she whispered. Her entire body relaxed as she looked at him. I could not see her expression, but I imagined it was one of calm adoration.

"You were yelling quite loudly," he stoically informed her. "Are you all right?'

Hisana threw a cocky look over her shoulder as she waltzed over him. Pulling his stiff neck down, she pressed a gently kiss against his lips. "Perfect now that you are here," she purred.

Byakuya awkwardly wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. He was obviously uncomfortable with public displays of affection, yet tried for her sake. The women watching the scene were green with envy. He kissed her back, this time more deeply, but still not very hard. We were in a public place after all. He remembered that we all were watching very intently. Hisana let him go and glanced up shyly at him.

"Let's go get lunch," she told him.

Taking his hand before he could answer, she pulled him out of the gathering crowd and around the corner. Byakuya allowed her to lead him, trusting her for once. He would have to if this was going to work. "I must say," he said when they were far away from us. "That was quite a bit of brilliant acting you just did,"

Hisana slowed down. "I know," she told him. "I told you I was good."

"I am sorry for doubting your abilities. I won't again,"

She grinned. "Good,"

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

**A/N: Well my oh my. Two chapters in two or three days. Three. That is pretty good, especially for me right now. Haha. The updates won't be quick; expect the pace of a snail. I'm only writing this because I don't want to do my term paper. I'm lazy, I know. Get over it.**

** I hope that you all are liking this. I am. It has come surprisingly dear to my heart, and I could not tell you why. The chapter song is The New Girl in Town, from Hairspray. Before that, it was the GooGoo Doll's infamous Acoustic #3. That was a great song. The next one will hopefully be Little Sparrow. David Cook's version. It is an amazing song, and an amazing cover. He is really quite talented. **

**Keep reading, and reviewing. I love reviews. They make me write fast. No shit. Haha. Luvs!**


End file.
